#what has the gaming industry touched that it hasn’t spoiled

[tadpole-apocalypse]

What if instead of DLC for Baldur’s Gate we got an honest to goodness expansion a la Awakening.

🫠

[cosmiciaria]

Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order review! (Spoiler free)

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (SWJFO) appeared out of fricking nowhere and to everyone's surprise, it was a striking success? How? But… EA was so bad at making SW games!! I don't see micro transactions and… is this… actual… plot… with actual… good characters?? I'm shooketh.

So, yes, SWJFO is a good game! It's not perfect, it has its flaws, yes, but considering where we come from… Battlefront II I'm looking at you.

The game takes place between Episode III and Episode IV. I won't say it's a "bridge" between those two Episodes because it isn't, and some may argue that talking about Jedi in the middle of those two pieces of media doesn't take you anywhere, since we all know what happens next, but let me explain to you: the story fits so well. So well.

We follow Cal Kestis, your average ginger Good Boi, who's a padawan in disguise. It's been five years since Order 66 and he's been hiding all this time in Bracca, a junkyard, where he works mostly enslaved by the Empire. His good pal Prauf tells him he should go outside and explore the galaxy, since he's young and cute probably, but Cal is so scared of being found and he's suffering such a huge survivor's guilt that he doesn't take any action to leave that planet.

It all seemed to be like another ordinary day of work, dismembering old ships and searching for useful parts, when the wing that Cal and Prauf were working on suddenly falls from the body of the ship, and Cal, who hasn't been using his Force since the execution of the Jedi, is forced (pun intended) to save his friend from falling to his death. Prauf understands the stakes, and swears to keep the secret.

However, destiny seems to hate him, because the Inquisitors (the Second and Ninth Sisters to be more precise), an order of Jedi-turned-to-dark-side that serves the Empire, arrive at Bracca, looking for a remaining Force-wielder who hides among the workers. Prauf steps up for his comrade, only to be impaled quite literally in front of Cal. Cal loses his composure and snaps at the Second Sister, revealing his nature as Jedi, and so the hunt begins.

Cal faces the Second Sister, who menacingly swings her lightsaber with red emitters, but he's too weak to defeat her. Just when we thought that everything is lost, a new spaceship arrives: the Mantis, and a woman reaches out from the main gate, asking us to jump. Cal doesn't think twice, bids farewell to a very angry Second Sister and jumps into safety.

Inside the Mantis, Cal meets his saviors: Cere, a former jedi who purposely cut her link with the Force, and Greez, a lateros who is the owner and driver of the ship. Cere goes straight to the point: she's been looking for Cal (or any other Force-sensitive to be honest) for years now, because she has a clear plan: to rebuild the Jedi Order.

From here onward, the game opens up. You'll be visiting Bogano first, which is the sanctuary more or less of Cordova, a dead character that will have a great impact on the whole story. Cordova was Cere's master, and he's worked and compiled information about the Zeffo sages and other interesting mythos from around the galaxy. Cordova swears that in the ancestral chamber in Bogano, sealed by ancient technology created by the Zeffo, lies the Holocron: a cubic thingy only readable for Jedi, that holds key information about the names of the kids who are Force-sensitives. With this list of names, Cere plans to bring back the Jedi and strike back at the Empire.

So the main objective is to get this Holocron, but to get there, you'll have to go to many planets and explore many nooks and crannies. I won't spoil it for you, because I try to never spoil in my reviews, and like I said before, it may sound like this goal doesn't make any sense since we know they don't succeed in rebuilding the Order (hell, not even with Rey and it's been a whole generation since then), but hear me out: the story still fits so well! PLEASE TRUST ME IN THIS ONE

So instead of talking about the plot, let's talk about the characters!

Cal will be your main character. I read that some people think he's boring, ok, I can take that. The reality is that there's so much more to him than just his dashing appearance (alright, maybe I am biased, since I love red hairs) and his kindness and good-boy-ness. Cal is deeply regretful by his actions during Order 66 and he can't forget nor forgive what happened to his master. He feels remorseful and blames himself for the outcome of the purge. He has a scar on his face that constantly reminds him of it. He's a clear case of survivor's guilt syndrome, and it doesn't take one much to see it. I won't say when or the context, but there's a moment in which he has to ride a escape pod, and he looks around, nervously, as if he's going to suffocate, because it reminds him of the purge – man, there's a lot not said that really touches you. I don't need a character to tell me that he's sad. He can show it to me and that's exemplarily well done with him.

Another example of a sad character, more in-your-face this time, is Cere. A former master, now devoid of the Force, Cere wanders the galaxy with a clear goal in mind. But in her past, she hides torture and some too-close-for-comfort connection with the dark side. She wants to redeem herself and she trusts that this sacred mission will, not wipe out, but compensate for her mistakes. Cere is a great north in this game and she always supports Cal in everything. Her unconditional trust may seem overwhelming at first, but she's careful and she knows with what they're all dealing with. Besides she's badass af.

Greez is a less warrior character but much funnier than the rest of the cast. As the owner of the Mantis, he takes care of this ship as if it were his daughter. He has a knack for cooking and even though he tries to hide it, he does have a soft spot for Cal. Maybe his past of gambler and addiction makes him come across as the one who doesn't give a damn of what's going on, but if that were truly the case, he wouldn't be here, trying to rebuild the Order as well. He has by far the best lines in the script, and he's so unintentionally funny. There was this scene, out of context, where Cere and Cal were having an argument while eating, and he was sitting in between, in the background, adding peppermint or whatever spice to his dish, but the thing is, he never stopped throwing peppermint to his dish because he was watching them argue. Damn. I love him.

Merrin is introduced later in the game, but she does play a large role in the story. Born and raised in Dathomir, Merrin is a Nightsister, an order of 'witches' let's call them that have twisted the Force and use it in a different way than the Jedi. After General Grievous (as much as we assume, because he's mentioned as "armored man wielding lightsabers") wiped out all the life in Dathomir, Merrin remained as the sole survivor of her planet, roaming around the corpses of her sisters with no goal whatsoever. She resents the Jedi and has sworn to fight them even if it cost her life. This led her to get in with a bad crowd… but she'll find a better purpose after she meets Cal (And if you ask me, this SHIP HAS SAAAAAIIILLLLEEED).

And last but not least, the Second Sister, who, as I said before, was a former Jedi who was forced into the dark side, now hunts the remaining Force-sensitive that have escaped from the purge. She seems your ordinary villain at the start of the story, but slowly the plot will be unfolding a lot of details about her past and how she became an Inquisitor, making her as much, if not more than, important like the rest of the cast.

If there's thread connecting all these characters, is their broken pasts. These are all broken characters who now must face the consequences of their decisions, however much they don't want to look that way. They have to reconcile with their pasts and overcome their fears. They have all suffered, but in this suffering they found strength. And each other.

And I cannot not mention BD-1, your companion droid. He has personality, you can't deny it. Every time Cal went like "How is it going, BD-1?" and the droid threw his "Boops-beeps", please, they're having a profound conversation DON'T INTERRUPT THEM.

As far as gameplay goes, this game borrows from other great creations of the PS4 era: Uncharted (you'll be climbing and doing parkour a lot), Tomb Raider (sliding down and tomb raiding, yes), Dark Souls (meditation/save points where you can level up your skills and also whenever you die you lose your exp gained, but not the ability points. You can recover that exp though), and Sekiro (parry. Parry a lot). This may seem to all of you like the game lacks originality, and while it's debatable, I still think that it has a lot new and original gameplay to offer, specially when it comes to Force wielding and lightsabers. Oh, yes, you're a Jedi (padawan, actually), you'll be using the Force! The game tries really hard to integrate the Force not only in combat, but also while you explore and while you solve puzzles. The more you level up, the more powerful your abilities become, and it comes a point when you feel unstoppable. The Stormtroopers might sound cocky at first, but when you start pushing and pulling, oh, yes, fear the Jedi! So yes, the game may look like a copycat of previous works in the gaming industry, but it does make a good use of all those mechanics, while still throwing something new elements into the mix.

The level design is ASTOUNDING, sometimes I turned around one corner and appeared somewhere I thought it was like miles away from my place, and I was marveled at how well everything interconnects with everything. The level of detail also is so meticulous and well crafted, like there are so many little things that if you stop to stare and pay attention you'll be so mesmerized by them. Some of the places are so eye candy, even Dathomir with their "I AM DEATH" vibes has such a beautiful color palette, that I couldn't help but take a thousand screenshots. This game looks gorgeous, and it shows. You know, when a game has a photo mode, you know the devs are convinced of its beauty.

But, like I said earlier, the game isn't without flaws. While I praised the intricate level design, there's also one thing I hate a lot: backtracking. Yes, in these huge maps, there are no fast travels. You can create shortcuts and such, but, if you want to get to that 2% that was left unexplored in that particular area, you must return to it by foot. This is a huge let down for me. I did the game with a guide, so I grabbed most of the collectibles during my first time in each planet, but still there were some things that I missed, and I had to go all the way there to revisit places with the only purpose of grabbing that stupid chest or filling that small percentage of the map, while trying to survive against the enemies, since everything in this game, everything, wants to actively kill you. Damn, Cal was wanted.

Another huge drawback for me that it normally doesn't bother me much were the low framerates. I played it on normal PS4, not the Pro, and the rendition of the game wasn't good. I wasn't even fighting or doing a lot of stuff on screen, I was just climbing and chilling, and still the framerates would fall like under 20. When there a lot of things going on screen, the game suffers from it and it makes you know that the play station is giving its all to make it function. I believe this isn't a problem for those who have a nice computer and play it with the highest specs, but as I know that there are people out there who really care about the performance, I had to at least mention this.

Also, do not come here thinking that this is an open world game. Yes, granted, you can travel from planet to planet with no real rush and take things with time, but the maps are mostly linear (except for the interconnections between each area), and once you explored or got all chests, that's all there's to it. Now that I have completed the game and platinumed it, the planets feel barren, empty, like there's no real life breathing through the leaves or the rooms. And I think I know what this game could've benefited a lot from: sidequests. There are no NPC's here, except for some Wookies at that moment in the story or your crew members, so there's no one to give you a sidequest. But even without NPC's, they could've thrown sidequests from the different collectibles that you come across in your path, or maybe when on arriving at a certain place. There's like one thing that gets close to a sidequest and it's exploring a crashed Venator in the planet Zeffo, but that's all there's to it: more of the same killing, climbing and cutting ropes. If you're a rookie collector, then yes, this game got you covered, for there are over 200 collectibles (I think over 300 actually, considering echoes and chests and scans), but it's not like there's anything in between these, except for enemies. No banter with your crew members while you walk around, some occasional beep boops from BD-1 only.

I think those are my main complaints, but all in all I believe that the good compensates the bad. The last "mission" is reaaaaally good, and they did something I really like, which I won't spoil. I'm just going to say that I'm so glad with the decisions they took. The relationships between the characters grow vividly before our eyes, and we see Cal develop from a frightened fugitive into a fighter. There are moments in the story and in the gameplay where the game made me go like "whoa", I was truly amazed by what was going on. The acting is flawless, the music gets under your skin and the vistas are just dreamy. There so many easter eggs to appease even the most hardcore SW fan! They could polish all the things I said, but if there's another SW game developed by Respawn and with that writing team, I'll be there to buy it.

It's not perfect, but it's good. Give Cal a chance!

[suspiriu-m]

About Me

Hello! My name is Sal and welcome to my blog, Suspirium! Suspirium is a word that originates from one of my favorite movies, Luca Guadagnino’s 2019 remake of Dario Argento’s classic italian horror movie Suspiria. According to World of Dictionary, Suspirium is a Latin word meaning “Deep breath, sigh”. It’s also the title of one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack to the movie produced by Thom Yorke of Radiohead. I’m a huge horror movie buff so expect to see a lot of that sort of content on my blog if I can incorporate it into any of my work. I chose this as the title of my blog because of how well the word fits into the movie, and I just love the way it sounds. Anybody who’s watched the movie will understand, but I won’t go into detail as to not spoil it for anybody who hasn’t yet seen it.

Throughout my highschool years I technically went to two schools. My main and home school was Middletown High School, and my secondary school was Orange Ulster Boces in Florida New York. In high school I was always in media production and art classes. For example, photography, video editing, drawing & painting classes and my favorite was an Elements of Horror class I took my senior year. Horror being my favorite genre, I absolutely had to take a class that’s dove into the origins of classic horror novels, films and short stories. Leading to me finding my favorite classic horror story Dracula by Bram Stoker, and a multitude of stories by H.P. Lovecraft. Continuing on now to college i’m now majoring in Media Production while also still taking some classes in Marketing and Design! I really enjoy both a lot so it’s hard to kind of pick exactly which I want to do, but it’s nice knowing that no matter what path I finally choose I'll still have some experience in the other!

Aside from my education, I love to watch horror movies and read stories in my own free time. Movies in general are a huge hobby of mine and I watch at least 3-4 a week given I have the time. Some of my favaroties of all time concerning classics have got to be the Halloween series, The Evil Dead series and all four of the Scream movies. Other hobbies of mine that take up a huge part of my life and time are video games and music. I have a pretty big record collection that’s continuously growing with at least 80-90 albums and counting. I just recently purchased a few more to add being Sade’s Diamond Life, Whitney Houston’s Whitney and Whitney Houston albums, Lazaretto by Jack White, Texas Sun by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges and Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams. Hopefully my next additions will be What’s Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware and The Baby by Samia. I’ve been collecting them for years, but especially now since even CD’s are starting to go out of style. I’m the kind of person who still likes to have physical copies of all my music and movies and games so having such big collection is super special to me.

In terms of video games, I try and play as wide of a variety that I can because I believe I can find something I like in any genre. Strategy, shooters, brawlers, online competitive games etc, but I think my favorite style of game is single-player, narrative driven experiences. Most recently I played The Last of Us Part II and was absolutely enthralled with it. I loved the first game so much so getting a sequel was something I was extremely grateful for. I don’t think video games get enough credit for what they do for storytelling. TLOU 1 and 2 are some of my favorite stories that I have experienced in any form of media. The heartbreak, pain, love, fear and excitement those games have succeeded in giving me while just sitting in front of my TV is something no other form of entertainment has brought me. Some of the most touching moments, but also the most excruciating. They also had a queer women front and center throughout the games which is something that isn’t very common in video games so seeing that was really nice to me. Other than The Last of Us, some other solid narrative driven games I’ve played are God of War, Uncharted 1-4, Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Tomb Raider Reboots, Ghost of Tsushima, the Batman Arkham series and Control.

Although story based games are my favorites that doesn’t mean I don’t have a place in my heart for some good old fashioned fun as well! I also really enjoy a lot of the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda games as well. My biggest pet peeve that I have with the gaming industry right now though is Fortnite. I think it’s literally the most annoying game ever created. People spend hundreds and thousands of dollars just to buy skins and weapon packs and I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. The fact that I work at a major video game retailer and constantly have kids running through my store screaming about the damn game at least once a day could also contribute to my hatred. Either way, I want no part and absolutely nothing to do with it.

Going back to queer representation though. I recently watched Pose over the summer. Not only was the show heavily based during the AIDS epidemic in New York City, almost the entirety of the main cast was comprised of Transgender Black women. On prime time television! This is the first show to ever achieve such a feat. Not only was the cast extremely talented, I thought the writing and production of the show as a whole was brilliant. It definitely has its flaws and I could point out a few of them, but I believe all of the good of the show far outweighs the bad. It’s not afraid to tackle extremely real and difficult subjects the Transgender and Black communities have faced in this country and all over the world. It’s so important to see content like this on television as well because EVERYBODY deserves representation. Not only was the cast Trans, but one of the lead writers of the series Janet Mock is also a Black Trans woman! Pose was filled with heartfelt moments that truly had me sobbing in my bed as I watched. I think I actually cried at pretty much every single episode for both seasons. The cast is brilliant, the realism and talent and star power they bring to the show is like nothing that I’ve ever seen before and I’m so glad to be able to see them up on my television. I so badly one day hope that I can be behind the scenes of producing a show of this caliber some day.

While I have yet to help in the production of a show like this, I have had my fair share of of making short films, music videos and even assisting on a friend of mine’s first full length movie that he submitted to festivals. Last year, I had the opportunity to shoot a short horror film with my classmates for our final project. The film was based around a young woman getting trapped at her school in the middle of a blizzard, and slowly beginning to realize that she may not be alone. In a fight for her life, she has to survive till morning while going up against a mysterious killer who lurks the halls of her small town college. Sadly, we didn’t have enough time to produce a full and finalized cut of the film but coming together and working with a few other classmates was still a really fun experience. Not only was I able to play the role of the killer, I aided in audio, music selection, location scouting, props department, shot planning and writing the movie and it was a great time. I also had the pleasure of helping out my friend Matt Vincini in shooting his short film The Cattle Farmer. A horror/thriller film about a boy who is adopted into a family, only to realize that his life might have been planned from the start. It featured a mysterious woodland family who may or may not have had cannibalistic tendencies that included their adopted children. It was a super cool experience to be on a set with a bunch of actors and seeing my friend in action in the role of director. Collaborating on projects like this with friends is always a fun time, even it does get stressful at some points. At one point in the film, one of the characters realizes that the dinner he is currently eating could quite possible be his last meal ever. Which kinda let me to thinking what my last meal would be. After some thinking, I think i’d definitely have to choose my families homemade pasta and meatballs. I know, pretty stereotypical for an Italian family but it’s just so good. We make our own sauce every september and it’s a huge family event. Everybody comes together and one of our houses and it’s literally a whole days worth of work. The best part? At the end of the night, we all have a huge feast and make pasta and meatballs with all of the sauce we just made. It’s one of my favorite things to do with my family and always one of my favorite meals. Not only is it delicious, but also sentimental.

This is all for now! Thanks for stopping by my blog and reading a little bit about me. I could probably keep rambling on for hours but I don’t think that’s the smartest idea. I can’t wait to fill this blog with more content this year and hope to hear from you guys as well! Until then, i’ll be watching more movies and DEFINITELY playing some more games. At this point i’ve been playing the new Marvel’s Avengers video game so, let me get back to kicking some AIM ass!

[jcmorrigan]

Just popping by and asking because I'm curious about your self ship with Giovanni. How did you both meet? :3

Ooh, I love this story! Though I had it only bare-bones before...this ask inspired me to sit on it and think through more of the details! So now I have a little more of that.

First of all, it doesn’t exactly follow the storyline of this song, but I just discovered it last night and I was STRUCK by how fitting it was for this whole ship, so give it a listen while reading this. Also, this got LONGER THAN I EXPECTED I’M SO SORRY

So. Here’s me: Rachel Scribere. Absolute mundie. Wants to be Inscribed, but that’s just not my life. Also wants to move up in the publishing industry, since she loves writing (mostly fanfiction, but let’s not tell the world that). And good news! A suburb outside Sweet Jazz City is hiring for a small local paper! Better than nothing, right? So I move from my small town into the heart of the city, scraping up for a cheap apartment so I can get started at work.

And it’s Hell.

My boss? Racist, homophobic, Lexist, and thinks I’m annoying. This job is slowly killing me, but I think it’s my only shot. If I lose it, I lose the apartment, I have to move back in with my parents, I have to let everyone down. Not to mention I haven’t made any friends yet in this city...surely my co-workers can’t be as bad as I think, right? They’ll be my pals eventually, right?

In the throes of depression, feeling absolutely no worth, I’m left to watch the office one day while the others are out. At a “business lunch” without me. Because I’m not in their inner circle yet, and probably will never be. I’m just trying to do some menial task they haven’t trained me how to do properly, nearly crying because it’s just not working and I know they’re gonna come back and be mad with how little I got done.

When the wall blows open.

“THERE’S NOWHERE LEFT TO RUN, [SUBURB] HERITAGE MUSEUM! FOR YOU HAVE BECOME THE NEXT TARGET OF THE BANZAI BLASTERS, AND THEIR PEERLESS LEADER, GIOVANNI POTAGE!”

When the dust clears, we’re trying to work out what, exactly, just happened.

He tried to rob a heritage museum in this suburb...and showed up at the wrong fucking building.

So he’s just all “Oh. So that’s why I’m the only one who showed up. Caaaan we just forget this ever happened? OKAYTHANKSBYE” and peaces out.

Well, I’m just about done, because our office got blown up and I still haven’t done my job and this is gonna be on my head and I just kinda fall on the floor and start crying. (Look, I know this isn’t the most headstrong start, but it’s my fantasy and I wanna be rescued from despair!)

When Giovanni WALKS RIGHT BACK IN to ASK ME FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE ACTUAL MUSEUM -

And witnesses me having a breakdown. “Hey...you, uh...you okay there?”

Well, now I’m mad at him for fucking up my life, because I am SO fired, so I get up and start sobbing and screaming at him how this is gonna be seen as my fault, and how this was already so horrible and it’s just so much worse now, but I launch into how little I was valued and Giovanni interrupts to express disbelief that my bosses didn’t take the time to help me catch up and feel welcome. After all, aren’t bosses supposed to treat their minions with love and respect?

Well, that’s when said bosses come back to the office. And they let me HAVE it.

Giovanni is miffed for two reasons. One, that they’re ragging on their precious minion (me) when that’s not something anyone should ever do, not ever! Two, that by going all “SCRIBERE. WHAT...DID...YOU...DO?”, they are totally stripping him of the cred of having made that bombastic entrance. He’s supposed to be the villain here, okay? Know his name! Fear it!

A great big argument ensues, with Giovanni defending this poor “newspaper minion” he just met and me not knowing what to say and my bosses trying to chase this crazy supervillain wannabe out of their office. And as Giovanni starts rattling off how much I deserve better and I’d be better off just quitting and being a villain...I get the impulsive idea. Hey, why not? At least I might feel alive.

So I stand up and make the decision for myself. I’m quitting. Effective now. And becoming an actual villain because I’m tired of adulting. SEE YA!

And I walk out.

Only to realize, a couple blocks away, that I have just thrown out my only financial lifeline.

Cue breakdown #2.

Now, Giovanni, he hasn’t gone love-at-first-sight for me or anything. But he does know a sad minion when he sees one, and he sort of has it in his head this is kiiiiiinda his fault, so he tails me to make sure I’m okay (which I’m not). And, I mean, a professional villain isn’t who I expected to be venting to, but he’s all I’ve got, so when he says he’ll listen, I just let it all out.

Giovanni has a great idea: I could join the Banzai Blasters with him! To which I utterly refuse. I mean, everyone knows it’s a pyramid scheme at this point, right? No one would join without being fully aware of that. (Gio: ”Heheh...yeah...I mean, I definitely knew that when I signed on, but that just means they’re legit bad guys...”)

But then he gets a BETTER idea! What if I’m an independent contractor villain? I keep the spoils of my own heists! He even thinks he remembers the name of some appraiser in the Blaster handbook that could help me get a foothold in the black market! I just need to steal some stuff to get startup capital, and hey, no one said I couldn’t tag along with the Blaster squad and take some of the spoils, like the awesome cursed swords we’re gonna find at the museum! (Me: “...What do you think the heritage museum is actually for?”) After all, the Blasters’ success is more based on clout and rank than the actual things they walk away with. No one will notice if one or two nice things goes missing! Not to mention, if I’m not an official Blaster, I get to pick my OWN uniform!

I’m desperate. And you know what? This...sounds like fun. What if I just said “fuck it”? So I agree. (And mentally plan out a potential blue-and-black aesthetic for my villain career.)

I also agree to give Giovanni a ride over there, since he is seriously NOWHERE NEAR THE MUSEUM.

En route, since it’s my car, he gets to hear one of my car mixes (IRL I make killer car mixes that make riding in my car like playing Russian Roulette - you could get rock, you could get emo, you could get trashy pop, you could get video game music, or you could just get a meme). And so he learns about my music taste. He also starts grilling me on my life - what do I do for fun? Well, I...write. They’re not really publishable stories, but...

Giovanni: “It’s fanfiction, isn’t it?” Me: “GOD DAMMIT”

He also asks my name. Which he hates, because he graduated with seven Rachels, and I can’t blame him, because I graduated with four others.

We finally get to the museum and the rest of the squad has been waiting for like an hour. They know he got lost but aren’t about to bring it up. Giovanni announces that he’s bringing a friend today and I get to help out.

Now, it’s worth noting at this point that I noticed he was QUITE A HANDSOME FELLA from the moment he walked into the room through the hole he blew in the wall, and his quirks are exactly My Type. So I’m already starting to crush on him. But I am well aware that should NOT be ANY sort of priority right now. As for me? He just sees me as a new villain buddy! (He develops feelings for me later, at which point he’s horrified because “I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAVE A FAVORITE MINION!”.)

The other Blasters are just like “Okay, cool” because it’s really not strange at this point for Giovanni to pick up a stray (”How do you think we got Flamethrower?”). Ben is excited because now he’s not the only one who doesn’t have a cool minion name, but now Giovanni wants to give me one to spite Ben. “Hmm...let’s see...you’re a writer, so...Storyteller? Chronicler? No...oh, wait! You also like all that weird music! What about COMPOSER? See, it’s a double meaning, because it’s a music thing, but also, you COMPOSE stories...you...you get it? It’s wordplay.”

Composer. I like it. In return, even though Giovanni’s technically not my boss, I agree to call him Boss. (”And really, I may not be your boss legally, but I want you to think of me as a boss in your heart.”)

And we have FUN clearing out the museum. It’s a Sunday, so it’s closed and no one’s actually there, so we just have the run of the place. I get to take back a couple artifacts that Sweet Jazz history buffs on the black market will love.

At the end of the day, Giovanni is all excited for this new partnership, and he’s talking up how he’s going to meet up with me tomorrow to get my stuff appraised - can he have my number? Just to keep in touch? - and I have to discreetly drop him back off at the newspaper office so he can collect his Vespa and drive home. (Look. I know he does not, in canon, drive a Vespa. But he gives me the exact energy of someone who drives a Vespa, so in this ‘verse, he has one. Just rollin’ down the road like he’s on a motorcycle when it’s a fuckin’ scooter that just goes very fast)

Before I drop him off, though, he asks me if they’re gonna kick me out of my place due to me not having a paycheck that day. See, he doesn’t exactly understand how rent works. I assure him I have a due date. He tells me that I can totally crash at his and his mom’s place if I want; he’ll bug his mom into making up the guest room. Apparently she’ll be happy that he’s made more actual friends.

I joke that she would probably be fazed that he brought a girl home. He says that’s never been a concern. “Oh. Not into girls?” “No, I am. And guys. And a couple who weren’t either. The thing is, if my mom was gonna ban everyone I COULD end up being attracted to, she’d have to ban...EVERYONE. And then I wouldn’t be allowed to have ANY friends over.”

I drop him off, go back home...and hit breakdown #3.

What was I fucking thinking? I can’t be a supervillain. Especially not an independent contractor. I’m on the wrong side of the law for a living. This isn’t going to turn a profit...and that’s not even taking into account the trouble I’ll get in with the heat. I’m having anxiety, shakes, nausea, the whole works. Starting to think this isn’t worth it. Maybe starting to feel a little suicidal.

Crawl into bed. Barely sleep. Drag myself out of bed the next day to rendez-vous with Giovanni.

Just seeing him makes me feel...slightly better. He and I head off to a hidden locale to briefly confer with Ramsey Murdoch over my finds. (”Just don’t look him directly in the gross rat face.”)

Ramsey informs me I actually have some valuable stuff on my hands, recommends some buyers, makes an offhand joke about us being a “cute couple” that goes right over Giovanni’s head.

This doesn’t do much to reassure me. I still feel empty. Hollow. Afraid. But Giovanni, he SENSES this on the drive home. He can also tell I put in one of my most upbeat dance mixes to cover the sadness. So he pesters me until I tell him how I really feel...

And he refuses to leave me alone all day because a good boss doesn’t leave a minion who’s feeling that down on herself.

We end up back at his place. Start out by watching movies. I have to put up with him and his mom yelling at each other, but Ms. P. switches on a dime around me - “So glad you’re here, Sweetie. Giovanni could use more good friends like you. Good influences who will tell him NOT TO PUT HIS FEET ON THE LIVING ROOM TABLE GOD DAMMIT HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO GO OVER THIS WITH YOU GIOVANNI anyway, Rachel, can I get you anything? A drink? Some popcorn? Since MY RUDE SON DIDN’T ASK WHAT HIS GUEST WANTED WHEN SHE CAME OVER but you name it and I’ll get it for you.”

I’m still depressed. I cuddle up in a blanket. It’s hand-knitted. I mention that it’s super comfy. Giovanni takes it as a compliment, revealing that he made it himself. This leads to him parading a bunch of things he’s knitted in front of me - scarves, hats, etc. And I love every one of them. Oh, no, I am falling for this man and am also still depressed.

We end the day by plotting out my new villain attire. He’s good at sketching out patterns for clothes, so I give him an aesthetic to go for - blue, corset lacing, asymmetrical skirt, off-the-shoulder, is this too Disney villain?, you know what I don’t care, hey, that looks great! (Eventually he actually helps me put that monstrosity together)

He sticks around. I gradually become more confident in my element, making sales, stealing more things, getting comfortable with THE VILLAIN LIFE, actually turning up a profit because Ramsey knows where the market is and is glad to show me, and hanging out with the Blasters on a regular basis in an abandoned library we’ve taken over as our lair (Giovanni says the word “Lair-brary” once and immediately regrets it and asks us all to forget he ever combined those syllables).

And I’m happy. Finally.

Then one day, in the library lair that is not a Lair-brary, there’s some shenanigan and a bookshelf almost falls on me and crushes me and Giovanni tackles me out of the way because THAT’S WHAT ANY DECENT VILLAIN BOSS WOULD DO FOR HIS PRECIOUS MINIONS and oh. Oh my God. If I didn’t have a crush on this man before, I LOVE him now. Oh, no. Oh, no... ;-)

That’s pretty much the origin story. I’m still kind of nursing the idea of doing an AU version of this in TBTC, and I would probably still wanna use “busts into WRONG PLACE, sees Rachel being mistreated, takes her to rob a place to feel better,” and I hope it’s not tacky to copy the same device. But yeah, I hope that wasn’t the 15 minutes of your life you’ll never get back

[buzzdixonwriter]

The Rise Of Skywalker Review [SPOILERICIOUS]

=0=

I’m going to post all the SPOILER stuff way below in section 3, so as not to ruin anything for anybody who hasn’t seen the movie yet.

You’ll get plenty of warnings.

=1=

In my old age I’m starting to divide creative works into three groups:  Good, bad, and not-so-good.

A good creative work is any where the strengths overwhelmingly outweigh the weaknesses; a bad one is the obverse.

A not-so-good work is one where the strengths and weaknesses balance each other out.

It’s the kind of a work that will doubtless please those audience members who really enjoy the strengths in it, and equally irritate those annoyed by the weaknesses.

In my estimation, a not-so-good work is one done with straight forward intent and as often as not, a fair degree of technical and aesthetic competency, but fails to jell as a cohesive whole.  

No one need feel ashamed for enjoying a not-so-good work, and no one involved in the making of a not-so-good work should feel bad about their contribution (unless, of course, their contribution turns out to be one of the weaknesses that should have been avoided).

Theodore Sturgeon famously observed “90% of everything is crap.”

I think that’s a little harsh.

I agree with him that only 10% of anything is good, but think only 40% falls into the crap bin.

Most stuff falls in the 50% I call not-so-good.

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker is in that 50%.

. . .

The good stuff is really good.

Elsewhere I’ve posted my enthusiasm for Star Wars Episode VII:  The Force Awakens and Star Wars Episode VIII:  The Last Jedi hinge in no small part on just how emo Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) could get, and holy cow, does he ever deliver in The Rise Of Skywalker.

Easily my favorite parts of the picture.

Doesn’t really mesh with anything else in the movie but, hey, ya can’t have everything, right?  (I’ll discuss his performance in a little more detail in section =3=.)

Other performances range from adequate to doing-the-best-they-can-with-the-material to okay-smartass-you-try-recreating-a-dead-actress-via-CGI.

The dialog in The Rise Of Skywalker is the worst of any film in the series, with the possible exception Star Wars Episode III:  The Revenge Of The Sith, which I haven’t seen and have no intention of seeing (but more on that below…).

It’s not an attempt to depict characters talking, it’s a series of shouted declarative sentences.

Elsewhere I’ve referred to The Rise Of Skywalker as the best Jason Of Star Command episode ever made.

For those who don’t get the reference, Jason Of Star Command was a low budget albeit imaginative Saturday morning kid-vid Star Wars rip off by Filmation Studios.

To make sure the youngest kids in the audience understood what was going on, they tended to hammer home plot points repeatedly.

  DRAGOS Jason!  In just sixteen hours my space fleet will destroy Star Command!

  STAR COMMAND Jason!  Dragos is going to destroy us with his space fleet in just sixteen hours!

  JASON Don’t worry, Star Command!  I’ll stop Dragos from destroying you with his space fleet in sixteen hours.

  NARRATOR (i.e., Norm Prescott) Jason has only sixteen hours to stop Dragos from destroying Star Command with his space fleet!

  There is far too much of that in The Rise Of Skywalker.

Ten minutes into the movie, and there was already far too much of that…

The opening credit crawl reveals an off camera plot development that literally deserved an entire film of its own to fully explore.

There is no sustained coherent plot to The Rise Of Skywalker:  

Well, we gotta do this,

now we gotta do that,

first we gotta find this thing,

then we gotta find that thing,

now I’m feeling blue,

now I’m gonna get encouraged,

etc., etc., and of course, etc.

Everything feel frenetic, not fast paced.

There are far too many scenes that exist just to sell action figures and toy vehicles.

There was a desire to tie off loose ends and say good-bye to favorite characters and that was a mistake.

It undercuts the urgency of the story (or rather, the desired urgency; the fact the film is called The Rise Of Skywalker means everybody in the freakin’ audience ALREADY KNOWS HOW THE DAMN THING IS GONNA END!

(This is not a problem unique to Star Wars.  Gene Siskell famously upbraided Roger Ebert for spoiling the ending to the third Star Trek movie, to which Ebert retorted, “Oh, come on!  They’re going to call a forty million dollar movie The Search For Spock and not find him?!?!?”)

There is one nice little breather scene (“little” only in screen time; visually it’s pretty big and impressive):  The Festival of the Ancestors on the desert world Pasaana that gives a nice touch of exotic space opera flavor to the proceedings.

All of the Star Wars movies offer really great art direction and visual design, and The Rise Of Skywalker certainly delivers in that category.

Which makes the occasional mediocre special effects shots all the more obvious.

The Rise Of Skywalker has a few painfully obvious matte shots, a few shots obviously composed in post-production, and a few shots where the audience becomes aware the actors are performing in front of a greenscreen. 

You can get away with mediocre visuals so long as there is consistency in their mediocrity.  

If everything else consistently looks great, a so-so shot spoils the illusion; if everything consistently looks so-so, it’s simply part of the work’s look.

Indeed, you’re better off with consistently mediocre work highlighted by a few great shots than consistently great stuff undercut by a few mediocre ones.

Best thing about the movie is the complete lack of Jar Jar Binks.

=2=

Before diving deeper in The Rise Of Skywalker, let’s look at the series as a whole (just the numbered theatrical episodes, not standalone films, TV series, video games, comics, novels, etc.).

I’ve said the original Star Wars was the movie an entire generation had been waiting all their lives to see.

George Lucas wanted to do Flash Gordon but when Universal turned him down, created his own space opera.

Lucas, it needs be noted, is not a good writer.

Whatever visual talents he has, they don’t extend to telling a good story.

One can easily find early drafts of Star Wars online, and while they all share certain elements, they’re all pretty bad.

The development of Star Wars the movie grew organically with storyboard and production art, characters and incidents changing and evolving along the way.

It’s long been rumored that a more skilled writer than Lucas came in to do the final draft; one thing’s for sure, the shooting script is head and shoulders above the earlier drafts.

Star Wars the original Han-shoots-first-dammit theatrical release is very much a product of the 1970s.

20th Century Fox thought they had a good enough kiddee matinee movie for summer release; they expected their big sci-fi blockbuster of the year to be Damnation Alley.

Instead, they hit a nerve and found themselves with a blockbuster on their hands.

Lucas did show one great example of foresight:  He trademarked all the names / characters / vehicles and held the licenses on them, not 20th Century Fox.

This gave him the war chest he needed to build the Lucasfilm empire.

And let’s give Lucas and his crew their due:  They added immeasurably to the technical art of film making, as well as making several entertaining films.

What Lucas did not fully envision was how to mold his Star Wars material into a coherent and thematically cohesive saga.

He started out with grandiose plans -- four trilogies with a standalone film connecting each for a total of 15 movies -- but that gradually got whittled down to 12, then 9.

After Star Wars Episode VI:  The Return Of The Jedi, Lucas put the Star Wars movie series on hold, waiting for film making technology to develop to the point where he could tell the stories the way he wanted to tell them.

Okay, fair enough.

But the problem is that while the film making technology improved, the technology of the Star Wars universe didn’t.

As I said, the original Star Wars is very much a 70s movie in taste / tone / style / sensibility.

While the designs look sufficiently sci-fi, they reflect robots and spacecraft designs of the 1970s -- in fact, even earlier in many cases.

That fit in with Lucas’ “used universe” look and the tag line “A long ago in a galaxy far, far away...”

But compare the original Star Wars with Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Kubrick spent a lot of time researching where technology was heading.

Long before visual displays and vector graphics became commonplace in real world aircraft, he showed them being used in the future.

The first example of what we refer to today as a computer tablet appeared in 2001 as a throwaway background detail.

Kubrick’s next film was A Clockwork Orange and he successfully predicted punk culture a decade ahead of reality (his only mistake being the assumption white, not black, would be the base color).

Star Wars Eps I - III take place a generation before the original Star Wars movie.

Star Wars Eps VII - IX take place a generation after.

Name a two generation span since the start of the industrial age that is not marked by radical technological change that produces an ensuing change in the social order.

Now I grant you, the Star Wars universe isn’t trying to tell that kind of story, but the story it is telling is static.

Characters in The Rise Of Skywalker talk about cloning as if it were A Really Big Deal.

Cloning today is cutting edge bio-tech, to be sure, but it’s already common place.

It’s as if the Star Wars characters were getting worked up over steam engines.

One can intercut scenes from the movies and, unless one is a familiar with each movie, it’s impossible to tell one film from another.

Lucas’ financial success enabled him to issue edicts re Star Wars (and other Lucasfilm projects) that undercut the strengths of his projects.

Lucas is a technological guru and a savvy businessman, but he really struggles to tell a story.

Frankly, I think he would have been a better film maker if he’d spent a decade or so making American Graffiti scale movies, not space operas and epic fantasies and adventure movies.

His decision to make the original Star Wars the fourth episode in his saga and going back to start his story with his villain was fatally flawed.

I grant following the Skywalker saga from Anakin to Luke to Rey could work if it started with Anakin.

But what he did was the equivalent of the James Bond movies jumping back in time to follow the pre-Bond career of Ernst Stavo Blofeld.

(And the Bond movies, at least up until the Daniel Craig era, are all standalone films insofar as one does not have to see any of the previous films to understand and enjoy the one being watched, not does the sequence they’re viewed in matter.  And the Craig films were conceived from the beginning as having a coherent overall arc, so in that case they are the exception to the rule.)

The joyous whiz-bang space opera of the original Star Wars got bogged down in a lot of meaningless politics and talks of trade treaties, none of which explained why anyone would want to conquer the universe in order to rule it as a decrepit, diseased dictator in a dark hole.

Look at Hitler and Stalin and Castro and Mao and the Kim family in North Korea.

These guys enjoyed themselves (well, Hitler did until things went south for him).  They loved the attention and went around preening themselves in public.

The off screen Empire (and implied Emperor) of the original Star Wars served that film well:  It was a story about a tactical conflict, not a treatise on the philosophy of governance.

Lucas’ universe does not make sense even in its own context.

And because of that, it becomes harder and harder to fully engage with it.

A sci-fi movie doesn’t have to explain everything, but it has to at least imply there is an underlying order that links up.

Lucas began subverting his own universe almost immediately.

The Force was originally presented as a spiritual discipline that any sufficiently dedicated intelligent being could gain access to.  (Robots seem to be specifically excluded from The Force, implying it needs a biological connection.  But that would seem to exclude intelligences that may not be organic in the commonly accepted sense of the word, which means such beings cannot appear in the Star Wars universe, which means…well, I digress…)

That was a big hunk of the original Star Wars’ appeal, the thought that literally anybody could become a Jedi if they so desired.

It speaks to a religious bent in audiences from many different cultures around the world, and it offers up an egalitarian hope that allows everyone access to the Star Wars fantasy (“fantasy” in this context meaning the shared ideal).

But already in Star Wars Episode V:  The Empire Strikes Back Lucas began betraying his original concept, sowing the seeds for self-serving deception and innate superiority as endemic in The Force.

By the time he got around to Star Wars Episode I:  The Phantom Menace, Lucas abandoned the hope established in the original Star Wars movie.

Now one has to be a special somebody, not just dedicated.

Mind you, that sort of story has its adherents, too.

Way back in the 1940s sci-fi fans were saying “Fans are slans” in order to claim superiority over “mundanes”.  Today many Harry Potter fans like to think of themselves as inherently superior to “Muggles”. 

It’s a very appealing idea, so appealing that the United States of America is based on it, the assumption being that white people are endowed with more blessings -- and therefore more rights -- than non-white people (add force multipliers such as “rich” / “male” / “Christian” / “straight” and you get to lord it over everybody).

Lucas with his stupid midichlorians robbed audiences of their healthy egalitarian fantasy and replaced it with a far more toxic elitism.

It appeals to the narcissistic stain in the human soul, and encourages dominance and bullying and cruelty and harm as a result.

It’s an elitism that requires a technologically and sociologically stagnant society, one where clones and robots and slaves can all co-exist and nobody points out they are all essentially the same thing.

A progressive society -- and here I use “progressive” strictly in a scientific and technological sense (though as stated above, advances in scientific fields invariably lead to changes elsewhere) -- does not let such conditions exist unchanged for generations.

As technology changes and improves, the culture/s around it change (and hopefully improve, too).

As I mentioned above, I’ve never seen Star Wars Episode III:  Revenge Of The Sith.

My reason for not seeing it?  Star Wars Episode II:  Attack Of The Clones.

Little Anakin Skywalker and his mom are slaves in The Phantom Menace.

He saves the Jedis and Princess Padame’s collective asses in that movie.

Okay, you’d think at the end of the movie that Padame would hand Qui-gon her ATM card and say, “Here, go back to Tatooine and bail the kid’s mom out.  He did a solid for us, it’s the least we can do for him.”

No, they leave her there because there is no desire to change the underlying social order of their universe.

There can be no changes in Lucas’ bleak, barren moral universe.

There can be no help, no hope, no improvement.

When an edict is issue -- be it Jedi council or Emperor (or president of Lucasfilm) -- it is to be obeyed without question or pause.

Daring to say one can change their status -- change their destiny -- results in tragedy (and ironically, proof that is their destiny).

It’s dismaying enough that a large number of people enjoy cosplaying Star Wars villains, especially storm troopers, as that seems to indicate they’re missing the whole point of why the rebels were striving against the Empire in the first place.

Originally that could be written off as (at best) just enjoying the cool costumes and props or (at worst) finding an excuse for bad behavior (i.e., “I vuz only followink orders”).

But Lucas’ tacitly endorsing a sense of innate superiority pretty much destroys everything about The Force that the original Star Wars audience found enlightening and ennobling.

The Star Wars universe has become at its core a very ugly thing, and The Rise Of Skywalker doesn’t really clean it up.

SPOILERS ahead.

=3= 

Seriously, SPOILERS follow.

Holy crap, The Rise Of Skywalker is a damn mess.

Nice eye candy, but a mess.

It pretty much undoes everything good in the previous two episodes.

I’m glad it’s the “official” end of the original saga because now I never need to see another Star Wars movie ever again.

(Oh, I’ll keep my DVD of the original Star Wars and if I find Solo in a bargain bin somewhere I might pick that up, but as far as the rest of Star Wars goes, I am D.O.N.E.)

The series stopped making sense long ago, so I’m really in no mood to analyze why nothing links up or really works.

It’s full of absurd, stupid ideas, such as space barbarians galloping across the deck of a star destroyed on their space horsies.

The whole back and forth between among Palpatine / Kylo / Rey goes on for two long.  If hating somebody is bad because it sucks you over to the Dark Side, then why doesn’t somebody start building Terminators that can track down beings with midichlorians and kill them?  (They’ve got the technology to detect midichlorians, that’s canon.)

It’s not anywhere near a good movie.  It’s not as bad as George Lucas’ Star Wars Episodes I - III, but it’s clearly the worst of the last trilogy.

The scene where Rey gets off camera encouragement from all the dead Jedi?  It seemed awfully familiar to me, as if the writers consciously or unconsciously remembered the John Wilkes Booth / Lee Harvey Oswald scene in Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins where all the presidential assassins and would-be assassins past and future encourage him to plug Kennedy.

Not what I want in a Star Wars movie.

I think we may be seeing the end of Star Wars.  It’s been crammed down our throats for too long.  I’m aware of The Mandalorian series and how insanely popular it is, but y’know, sooner or later every pop culture craze dies out.

Star Wars has nowhere to go.  Star Trek is hemmed in, too, but nowhere nearly as bad as Star Wars.

We’re about to enter a generational shift in America, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a badly dated 1970s sci-fi concept fails to make the cut.

It ends on a frustrating note, taking much too long to come to a close, far too much self-congratulatory bullshit, and the deliberate planting of clues for a future set of sequels should the Mouse start jonesin’ for that sweet, sweet Star Wars franchise money fix.

It’s a really bad script, and dragging Carrie Fisher’s digitally reanimated corpse into it and then killing her off by suicide is a damned stupid / offensive idea.

Mark Hamill’s ghost walking out of the flames of Jedi hell (thank you for that analogy, David Brin)?  Wow, who didn’t see that one marching down the avenue?

Harrison Ford coming back as a memory / hallucination to tell Kylo to do the right thing?  Skrue dat noiz.

(Though I have to say Kylo Ren is the best thing about the movie and his character turn parallels both Luke’s and Vader’s in The Return Of The Jedi only his is much more believable and poignant so dammit, Disney, you could have done a much better job with this movie than you did.)

The plot and pacing is straight out of a video game.  First do this, then do that, now ya gotta do another thing -- feh!

And unless I misheard the dialog, this whole film supposedly takes place over a span of sixteen hours!!! 

They visit a half dozen worlds, crash and repair spaceships, go undercover, get captured and escape, fight duels to the deal -- all in sixteen hours?!?!?

Yeesh.

And I’ll say this, the last line is wrong wrong WRONG.

If the Star Wars saga has taught us anything, it’s that Force users are a threat to everything.

They should be eliminated for the good of the universe.

Rey shouldn’t have buried the Skywalker lightsabers.

She should have destroyed them -- and the one she made, and any others she found lying around.

And when she’s asked at the very end what her name is, the answer should have been:  “Rey…just Rey.”

I know I put The Rise Of Skywalker in the not-so-good bin, but truth be told, that’s the nostalgia talking; it’s only a eyelash away from being bad.

The whole epic saga is a failure as far as I’m concerned.  One and done is the way to go; the moment it started making money as a toy franchise it went south.

  © Buzz Dixon

[areiton]

like romeo & juliet 6/10

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Read on AO3 

On their three month anniversary, Tony takes him to Berlin.

He has business there, meeting someone Soldier worked for, before he came to Tony and Stark Industries. But they go because Tony can’t resist taking his boy away for a holiday.

Peter clung to him as Tony showed him Berlin, the ancient city and the glittering nightlife, while they danced, Tony’s hands low and possessive on his hips, dragging Peter to writhe against him on the dance floor and he drifted on a delicious haze like the one Silk gave him, but this high was Tony, Tony, just Tony.

He clung to it, clung to Tony and licked into his mouth when Tony kissed him, licked the taste of champagne and wine away and forced away the thought of Sir and his quiet, cold displeasure.

~*~

The Merchant, Sir told him, long before Peter ever saw Tony in that crowded ballroom--the Merchant liked pretty things.

He liked to be adored, and he adored showing off, parading the newest pretty toy in front of all the other boys in class.

Sir said it in a tone that dripped disdain, that said the Merchant was a child, playing childish games. He never bothered showing off--Peter was his. No one would dare touch him, and there was no need to flaunt what no one could touch.

Still.

As Sir spoke, and Peter listened. He considered what it might be like, to be the pretty spoiled toy of a man like Tony Stark.

He thought it must be intoxicating.

~*~

Peter likes being wanted.

He liked it, the first time he saw Sir’s eyes go dark and his hands tremble a little more than normal.

He likes it, seeing Daddy’s eyes narrow and his mouth tighten and hunger light up his face, likes the way he can’t stop touching, the way he murmurs filth and promises in Peter’s ear, and runs reverent fingers over Peter’s lace and silk and presses careful kisses to the corner of his lips, careful not to smudge his makeup.

He likes the way Soldier and Captain watch him, like the way Strange’s favorites eyed him with hungry envy.

He likes being wanted.

It was always the problem with using Tony’s weakness against him.

~*~

“Where were you, baby?”

Tony is watching him, lazy and indulgent, and Peter smiles, rolls to kiss him. “MJ wanted to go out,” Peter says, light and easy, the way he does every time he vanishes from Tony’s bodyguards and slips back to Strange, slips into his bed and cold unhappiness.

Strange is getting impatient, and Tony—Tony’s smile slips, just a little, something complicated and hurt in his eyes.

For a heartbeat, Peter is still, utterly, unbreathing, his fingers tight and aching and empty, longing for his tiny dagger.

For a heartbeat, Peter is afraid.

Then Tony kisses him, and smiles. “Don’t like you going out alone, baby. It’s dangerous. One of the Doctor’s men attacked one of my shipments, yesterday. I don’t want him to hurt you.”

“Was everyone ok?” Peter asks, worry coating his tone.

He always worries.

He never knows how the information he feeds Strange will be used, who it will hurt. So he worries, and waits, and he shivers, tucked against Daddy’s side, when Tony rages and fumes, and quietly grieves the men who die.

~*~

“What is taking so long?” Strange snarls, and Peter—

Peter doesn’t flinch.

Doesn’t pull away from him.

He tips his head up, looking at Sir and asks, “Did you use Quicksliver?”

Strange pauses, this tiny hitch in motion that gives away everything. Peter’s expression tightens. “You swore, Stephen. You swore no one took it.”

“It happened years ago—”

“It killed Tony’s fiancée. Did you know that? You want him dead because his trucks caused your accident. And that was an accident. But he hasn’t put a hit out on you—and your drug killed the love of his life.”

Strange drifts closer, and runs a finger gently down the side of Peter’s face. “My drug? Darling. Do you forget who created Quicksilver? Because I don’t.”

Peter stares at him, his eyes wide and furious and Strange smiles at him, gentle and implacable. “Kill him, darling. Do it by the end of the week.”

“And if I don’t?”

Strange leans in and kisses him, softly.

“If you don’t, I’ll send in the Widow. And she’ll kill you both.”

~*~

“Sir,” Captain says, gently.

Tony closes his eyes, clenches his hand and inhales slowly. “There’s an explanation,” he says, simply.

“The explanation is Peter belongs to Strange, boss,” Captain says.

It’s there.

The evidence of Peter’s lies, the evidence that MJ—the pretty girl he’d first seen Peter with—was one of Strange’s dealers and enforcers.

The evidence that all pointed to what he didn’t want to believe, couldn’t believe.

“Boss,” Rogers starts again, and the Soldier makes a quieting noise in his throat.

Tony looks at him, at the man who tried to kill him, once, who he and Rogers managed to rehabilitate and shape into one of his best, most loyal tools.

“Peter loves you,” Bucky says. “Maybe he’s lyin’. But he’s not lyin’ about that. Talk to him, before you act.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Rogers snaps, glaring at his lover.

“I’m not killing him without knowing the truth. From him,” Tony says, his voice brooking no argument.

Rogers glares, but he doesn’t protest.

They go, and leave Tony there, alone, with pictures of Peter a step behind the Doctor, dressed in black and scarlet, at ease in the other man’s presence. He’s younger in the pictures. But it’s Peter.

“Please don’t make me kill you, baby boy,” Tony murmurs into the dark room.

Part 7

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

Open Your Eyes (Part 4)

Chapter Summary: As Christmas Day nears, feelings get stronger.  Pairing: Tyler Joseph x OFC, Frank Iero x OFC Word Count: 2635 Warnings: None? A/N: I needed something fun and cute to write with low pressure so that I could stop worrying about a more serious piece I’m working on for a bit. This five-part crossover series was the result! It’s cheesy and fluffy and is probably akin to something you’d see on the Hallmark Channel, but that’s how I intended it to be. Thanks to @razor-tothe-rosary for your help and encouragement! Enjoy reading, everyone!

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Masterlist

Americus scrolled through her phone one morning, ignoring Vanessa’s emails and catching up on the industry gossip. She was slightly surprised when she came across a paparazzi picture of Emerson and Frank Iero coming out of a record store in Jersey together. She knew that the Vans photoshoot had gone well for her new friend, but she hadn’t realized it went that well.

“Canoodling with co-stars, huh?” Americus teased when Emerson answered her call.

Emerson paused for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“There’s pictures of you and Frank together in Jersey,” Americus explained. “I knew you were going home for the holidays, I didn’t realize you were going to see Frank while you were there.”

“This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen,” Emerson groaned. She explained about Jeff and the phone call on the day of the shoot, how she had become friends with Frank, and how Jeff had stood her up at the airport. “Frank rescued me, and I wasn’t ready to face my family, so I hung out with him for a little bit.”

Americus frowned. “It’s not a bad thing, you know. I don’t know Frank real well, but I’ve heard good things about him.”

“No, Frank is great. It’s just that I’m new to all of this, and I don’t want anyone thinking I’m using Frank or you or anyone to climb the ladder.”

“I’ve seen your work, you know. You’re climbing the ladder on your own. If you make friends along the way, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s important to have people you can trust in this industry, honestly. Vans was a big deal, and you got there on your own. It can only go up from here, and it’s not going to have anything to do with Frank.”

“I guess,” Emerson mumbled. “I’m with my family now, but I’m going to call Frank. I’ll give you a call when I’m back in Los Angeles.”

Americus cleared her throat. “I’m actually doing some soul-searching of my own right now, and I’m in Columbus. Stay in touch, though, okay? If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“I will. Talk soon.”

Americus disconnected the call and tossed her phone to the cushion beside her. Emerson’s fear of being thought less of within the industry was precisely one of the things that made her want to get out. The littlest thing about one’s life could be misconstrued; it could destroy a prestigious career such as Americus’s or end one that had hardly begun, such as Emerson’s.

“Deep in thought again, daughter?” her father asked, coming into the living room with a cup of coffee in each hand. He handed one to Americus and took a seat at the other end of the couch.

Americus gave a small smile. “I’ve got a lot to be thinking about. I love the life I’ve lived, Dad. Really. I have no regrets, except that lately, I just don’t feel … well, grounded. That’s the word I keep using. I’ve never canceled on contracts before, until now.”

“That’s how you know this is important to you.”

“You’re right there. Being home again has been amazing, but it does still feel like a break. I know I need to go back to work, I just don’t know what work that will be.” She pressed her lips together. “Tyler offered me a job doing photography for their tour.”

“Tyler,” her father echoed. “That’s been a nice reunion, hasn’t it?”

“Daddy,” Americus said, rolling her eyes. “This isn’t about Tyler. Though, yes, it has been nice to be around him again. But to give up modeling -- everything I’ve built over the last fourteen years. I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Modeling wasn’t going to last forever, anyway. And, you know, taking a step back now doesn’t mean you’re done for good.”

They finished off their coffee in silence. With their mugs empty, Americus’s father excused himself to run his usual Saturday errands. Americus had some things to do herself, so she got up and got dressed, and headed out on her own.

Emerson let out a deep breath as she surveyed herself in the body-length mirror. Her sweater dress was pristine, save for the little piece of fuzz she picked off near her hemline. Her leggings would keep her warm, as would the socks and boots on her feet. Her hair was perfectly curled, her makeup flawless.

“Well, you look date-ready,” Tanya smiled from her place on the couch, curled up with Emerson’s soon-to-be stepfather.

“Thanks,” Emerson replied, one end of her mouth tugging upward. “I’m really not sure about this.”

“We know you’ve never wanted to do things this way,” Graham assured, “but Frank has been in this business for a long time. I don’t think he would lead you astray.”

Emerson didn’t think he would, either, but that didn’t make his plan any more appealing. What her mother and stepfather didn’t know was that when Emerson had called Frank about the pictures and the speculation, he had suggested they use it to get to Jeff and Sarah; to make their exes jealous, if nothing else. These weren’t the types of games Emerson usually played, but it had seemed like a better idea at the time than it did now.

When Frank arrived at seven o’ clock on the dot to pick her up, Emerson let him in the house and politely introduced him to her mother and Graham. Ignoring the meaningful looks in her direction, Emerson bid them goodnight and promised not to be gone too late, before she and Frank walked out to his car.

“Freezing out here,” she mumbled, dropping into the passenger seat.

“It is Jersey in December,” he reminded her. “You hungry? I’ve got reservations in the city.”

Emerson nodded. “I’m definitely hungry. But we don’t have to go all the way into the city, you know. We could eat around here. I don’t mind.”

“First of all,” Frank said, smirking at her as he pulled onto the main drag, “you deserve to be spoiled a little. Second of all, pretty sure New York City is a better place for us to be seen out together than anywhere else in the area.”

“That’s true.”

“We don’t have to go, if you’re unsure.” He reached for her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

Emerson took a deep breath. “It’s not that I don’t want to go. I wouldn’t mind Jeff seeing me out there, better off without him, really. I’ve just never played games like this before -- always made a point not to, actually.”

“I like that about you. But sometimes, you’ve got to play the game. In this industry, Emmy, you have to show them that you can stick up for yourself. That you’re not a doormat, and that you’re not the innocent, naive thing they all think you are.”

Emerson withdrew her hand from his. There was something harsh and condescending in his tone. It made her want to get out of the car and walk home in the cold. Crossing her arms over her chest, Emerson sat back in her seat and spent the rest of the drive staring out her window.

Tyler came to pick Americus up this time, and when they saw each other, they couldn’t help but laugh. Americus’s sweater read, “Why is the carpet all wet, Todd?!” while Tyler’s read, “I don’t know, Margo!” The exchange was one of their favorites from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, so it was only fitting that their sweaters were coordinated.

“And we didn’t even have to try,” Tyler laughed, holding her steady as they walked down the icy steps of her father’s front porch. “Don’t slip. I about ate it on the way up.”

Not at all interested in a bruised backside or sore limbs, Americus held tight to Tyler’s arm as they awkwardly made their way to his car. When she was safely seated and buckled in, Tyler went around to the driver’s side, ready to get them to Josh’s place.

“I thought you said Josh lived in LA?” she asked.

“He’s got an apartment there and a house here,” Tyler explained. “We’re in Los Angeles a lot, but Columbus is home. You know?”

Americus nodded. “Yeah. I do, actually.”

“It’s been nice having you around here, you know. Spending time together again. Not that this is anything, you know, so don’t take it the wrong way, but I always wondered if you and I wouldn’t have became something if life hadn’t taken us in different directions.”

“Really? You would have wanted that with me?”

Tyler shrugged, suddenly wondering if maybe he shouldn’t have brought it up. “We were young. When you’re young and close friends with the first girl you ever kissed, those things cross your mind. But I’m kind of an emotional guy.”

“You are,” Americus agreed, “but I wondered it, too. You were my first kiss too, you know.”

Tyler couldn’t help but smile as he glanced at her from the driver’s seat. “I did know that, actually.”

Americus couldn’t help but blush and wonder if maybe Tyler had walked back into her life at just the right time, and for a reason she was just beginning to understand.

When they pulled up to the front of the restaurant, Frank handed the valet the key before opening Emerson’s door. She stepped out of the car, walking a few steps ahead of him. Just outside of the front door, Frank caught her by the elbow and pulled her aside. His hands mingled with hers, and he begged her forgiveness.

“I shouldn’t have said it like that, I’m sorry. I know the kind of reputation you’re trying to uphold and I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I am saying that you have to start sticking up for yourself if you’re going to make it, or your reputation isn’t going to matter. I think you’ve got a great future ahead of you. I want to see you make it. I don’t want -- I don’t want anyone to hurt you.”

Emerson swallowed hard. “Thank you, for the apology. It’s accepted. And for not wanting me to get hurt. I don’t want that either, but I also don’t want to become someone I’m not. I don’t want to be cold and callous and unfeeling.”

“There’s a balance,” Frank assured. “We just have to find it for you. Ready to eat now?”

Leaving one of her hands in his, Emerson nodded. “I’m ready.”

Frank smiled and led her into the restaurant. He gave his name at the front, and the host assured him that a table was waiting as reserved.

With their minor disagreement behind them, more pleasant conversation ensued. It wasn’t at all unlike their times together before; Emerson couldn’t believe how easy it was to just be around Frank. She didn’t have to pretend to be someone she wasn’t, or keep up appearances for work. In fact, by the time their food was served, Emerson had all but forgotten the reason they were out in the first place.

After dinner, Frank took her to Rockefeller Center. They took a picture together in front of the big Christmas tree there, watched people go by, and slowly made their way back to the restaurant.

When they crossed the Jersey state line, Emerson bit her lip. She knew what she wanted to say, but she wasn’t exactly sure how to say it. After another couple of minutes, she just blurted it out.

“I don’t wanna go home yet.”

Frank looked over at her briefly before setting his eyes back on the road. She could see that he was the one trying to fight a smile now, and it made her feel better about saying what was on her mind.

“Wanna go back to my place?”

Emerson nodded, shooting a text to her mother that she may not be home at all. Even as an adult, she didn’t want to worry anyone and add anymore drama to her vacation.

At Frank’s place, he offered her an oversized t-shirt to exchange for her dress. Her leggings would suffice for now, so she declined his offer of sweats and they settled on the couch with a couple of beers and Year Without a Santa Claus. The movie was Emerson’s favorite holiday film, so when she saw it on the guide, she pleaded with Frank to watch it with her.

As the movie started, Frank scrolled through his phone. Emerson asked if there was any reports of the two of them out in the city together, but he shook his head.

“Nothing yet. Don’t worry, I’m sure something will come up. Jeff will see what he’s missing.”

Emerson nodded and sipped at her beer, but she wasn’t really interested in making Jeff jealous anymore, she realized. She was only interested in what could develop with the man sitting next to her.

As the movie played and the two of them drifted off to sleep, Emerson leaning against Frank and him with an arm around her shoulders, Emerson started to wonder just how much her career would be affected if something with Frank started … or perhaps it already had.

The party was a blast. The crowd wasn’t too big, but it was certainly more than a group of people hanging out. Josh was nice and hospitable, conversed easily with Americus, and enjoyed hearing her stories about Tyler from their childhood.

Tyler never once left her side. Every wink he sent in her direction, everytime he leaned close to whisper something in her ear, chills invaded Americus’s spine. Her crush was quickly developing into something more, and while she wanted to see where all those what-if’s from long ago might lead, she also knew she had a decision to make regardless of her feelings for Tyler.

They stayed later, after everyone had left, and helped Josh clean up.

“That’s good for now,” Josh said, once all of the trash was picked up and the snack bowls were grouped on the island in the kitchen. “I’ll get the dishes and whatnot tomorrow.”

“You sure?” Americus checked. “It won’t take long between the three of us.”

Josh waved her off. “It’s almost one in the morning, it’s freezing outside. Get out of here before I change my mind.”

Americus smiled and hugged him. “Nice to meet Tyler’s best friend.”

“I was going to say the same to you,” Josh returned with a smile. “Good to know we can get along, if you decide to come work with us.”

Americus took a deep breath, glancing at Tyler. She should have figured Josh would know about the job offer; Tyler wouldn’t have offered it before checking with other people involved first. Still, it was strange to hear from someone else.

Josh bid them goodnight and saw them to the door; Americus had a tight hold to Tyler’s arm again so she wouldn’t slip but they both managed a wave back to Josh before getting in the car.

“Are we too old to do sleepovers like we did when we were little? I mean, before the whole boy-girl thing became an issue?” Americus asked. “I know it’s not the field like you talked about before, but I just feel … I don’t know. Can’t put a label on it.”

Tyler nodded and reached his gloved hand out for hers. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean. Wanna stop at your dad’s for clothes and stuff first?”

Americus nodded, lacing her fingers through his. They had more or less picked up right where they left off before her life moved west, and she wasn’t complaining one bit about that. There was some getting to know each other again that would have to happen, but she could accept that.

[aion-rsa]

E3 2021 Leaks: Nintendo Switch Pro, Battlefield 2042, Final Fantasy Origin, Marvel, and More

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E3 is the most exciting time of the year for the gaming industry. It’s when all of our favorite publishers and studios get together to show us what the future holds for interactive entertainment. By the end of E3 2021, we’ll know what’s next for the Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC gaming. You can check out a complete schedule of E3 2021 conferences here.

Not all of the show’s massive reveals are reserved for the trade show, though. After all, E3 season is also a team for major leaks. Indeed, it only takes one Reddit poster, one dataminer, one accidental posting on an official website (or the PlayStation Store) to spoil a big surprise.

Despite the fact that E3 2021 is an all-virtual event, meaning less opportunities for sneaky leakers to snap pictures from the expo show floor, this year is no different. Here are the biggest leaks and confirmed rumors you need to know about going into E3 2021:

Nintendo Switch Pro

The long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro has been the subject of speculation for most of the hybrid console’s existence. So, what is it? Allegedly, the new Nintendo hardware will be an upgraded version of the Switch that’s rumored to feature a few improvements, such as a 7-inch 720p OLED screen as well as 4K capabilities. In essence, this hardware upgrade would be to the Switch what the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X were to Nintendo’s main console competitors.

Unfortunately, despite the incessant rumors and “leaks” on forums, we don’t really know whether this console will actually make an appearance at E3, as Nintendo hasn’t said anything official about the Switch Pro in the lead up to its press conference. But Bloomberg confirmed in May that the upgraded console does indeed exist and that the Big N could be preparing to launch the Switch Pro as soon as September. If Nintendo sticks to that timeline, E3 2021 would be the perfect venue at which to unveil the future of its Switch platform.

The outlet suggested that Nintendo could even announce the Switch Pro ahead of E3 to “allow publishers to showcase their full range of Switch games at the global event.” If that’s still the plan, the clock’s ticking for the publisher.

The Nintendo Switch Pro will reportedly sell at a higher retail price than the $299 standard model released four years ago. According to the outlet, the standard model will be phased out, while $199 Switch Lite will continue as the budget option. The Switch Pro could start shipping as soon as July, although it’s unlikely Nintendo will be able to meet demand at launch.

Battlefield 2042

Battlefield fans have been clamoring for the next installment in EA’s shooter series for quite some time. Indeed, it’s been three years since the release of the last game, Battlefield V, but fortunately the wait it almost over. EA has already announced a reveal event for the game during E3 Week. Fans will learn the title of the game as well as get a first look at the gameplay and maybe even get release date.

But some of that information has already leaked ahead of the special broadcast. PC Gamer cites leaks on Reddit in its report that Battlefield 6 will take place in a near-future setting and be titled Battlefield 2042, describing the new installment as a “middle ground between the series debut set in 1942 and the mech-filled warzones of 2142.” According to the leak, the game will feature the “biggest maps in Battlefield history,” broken up into “Sectors” about the size of a Battlefield 3 map.

Best of all, EA will reportedly announce the Battlefield 2042 beta for later this month, per the outlet.

Final Fantasy Origin

While RPG fans already expected to see Final Fantasy at E3 2021, they were surprised to hear that it wouldn’t be in the form of Square Enix’s upcoming Final Fantasy XVI. Instead, the Japanese publisher is reportedly set to announce Final Fantasy Origin, a new action RPG title from Team Ninja, the studio behind the excellent Nioh games.

The leak comes from Fanbyte, citing sources close to the project, which is described as a Dark Souls-like Action RPG set in the timeline of the original Final Fantasy for NES. The game is reportedly a timed PS5 exclusive, with a PC port also planned in the future. An alpha demo, called “Stranger in Paradise,” is said to be arriving sometime this summer.

Coda: New Marvel Game from 2K

2K Games faced a huge leak ahead of E3 2021, a slew of its biggest announcements uncovered on a Reddit thread and picked up by Video Games Chronicle. The massive leak was later corroborated by reliable games journalist Jason Schreier.

So what does the leak reveal about 2K’s potential E3 plans? Quite a bit. Let’s start with the big one: an XCOM-style turn-based tactics Marvel game from Fireaxis. Indeed, after licensing its superhero properties to PlayStation Studios, Nintendo, and Square Enix, Marvel Games is now working with 2K. Unfortunately, that’s all we really know about his new superhero title.

The good news is that we’ll likely learn much more about this unannounced game during the Take-Two Interactive conference at E3 2021.

Guardians of the Galaxy from Eidos Montreal

2K isn’t the only publisher set to announce a new Marvel game, though. The long-gestating Guardians of the Galaxy game from Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Shadow of the Tomb Raider studio Eidos Montreal will finally get an unveiling during the Square Enix conference, according to Schreier. The journalist previously reported on Guardians‘ secret development at Eidos, a project that meant putting the Deus Ex series on hiatus indefinitely.

That’s about all we know about the Guardians of the Galaxy game at the moment, though. Even what genre the title is in remains a mystery, although we’re going to assume it’s not another loot shooter like Marvel’s Avengers, which Eidos also worked on for Square Enix.

Expect this to be the big ticket item during the Square conference!

Borderlands: Tiny Tina’s Wonderland

The 2K leak spoiled another big E3 reveal for the publisher: a new Borderlands spin-off game starring Tiny Tina. The game is being developed by Gearbox and could release before April 2022, according to VGC.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderland, as it’s reportedly called, could be an announcement for either the Take-Two conference or the Gearbox presentation ahead of it. Keep an eye out!

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake

Old-school Star Wars gamers have begged for another installment in the Knights of the Old Republic series for almost two decades at this point. It’s for good reason: this duology of RPGs set thousands of years before the film saga is one of the best things to ever come out of the galaxy far, far away.

The bad news is that cries for a third installment have fallen on deaf ears. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something new coming for Knights of the Old Republic fans. Schreier confirmed in April that a remake of the original 2003 game is in the works, but not at BioWare or Obsidian Entertainment.

“This is public at this point, I’ve basically confirmed that Aspyr, which is the company that has ported a bunch of KOTOR games, is working on [the remake],” Schreier told The MinnMax Show podcast (via IGN).

Aspyr, which has long been the studio behind several modern Star Wars ports from the LucasArts era, hasn’t said anything officially on the matter, but Knights of the Old Republic Remake is definitely the type of nostalgic showstopper just waiting for its big moment on the E3 stage. It’s hard to say when exactly we’ll see the game, though.

SteamPal: Valve Handheld Gaming PC

Ars Technica has confirmed some of the rumors: Valve is developing a “Switch-like portable PC designed to run a large number of games on the Steam PC platform via Linux” that could hit the market as soon as this holiday season. The handheld is reportedly called the SteamPal and will feature traditional game pad controls and a touchscreen.

While the outlet couldn’t pinpoint the exact specs of Valve’s “all-in-one PC” device, Ars Technica speculated that the SteamPal will likely run on an Intel or AMD chip. A prototype of the handheld is reportedly much wider than the Switch, with enough space for “a standard array of gamepad buttons and triggers, along with a pair of joysticks and at least one thumb-sized touchpad (in addition to the device’s touch-sensitive screen).” Players will allegedly be able to “dock” the SteamPal to larger monitors with a USB-C cable.

The big question is whether Valve will use the PC Gaming Show, or one of the myriad other E3 showcases, to unveil its new hardware. Knowing this particular publisher, it may just wait to reveal the SteamPal on its own terms at a later date.

What are you hoping to see at E3 2021? Let us know in the comments!

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[mysideblogofsurveys]

Survey 9.

What would you call your body type? Petite

Are you a morning person? Definitely.  I love getting up early! Although I am not a “morning people person”.  I get up early to get stuff done but I don’t really wanna talk to anyone

Have you ever been to Target? Who hasn’t? Although I haven’t been to one in a while

Do you like iced tea? Only unsweetened

When is the next time you’ll be at work? Tomorrow

Do you have a savings account? Yes I do

Has anyone ever hacked your accounts before? As far as I know, no

What color bedsheets are currently on your bed? We are not color coordinated at ALL so we have black, blue, purple, white, green..we have a bunch of different blankets lol

Have you ever been to Disney World? If so, how many times have you been? Even though I live in FL, I’ve only been to Disney World once (when I was 12)

Does grammar and capitalization mean anything to you? Yes, I’m very picky about it ><

Are you good at wrapping gifts for others? No, but I wrap them anyway :)

Do you have a dirty clothes hamper in your room? Yes, I definitely use one.  My husband on the other hand, prefers to use the floor.

What would you say is your favorite television show? I don’t have one in particular but I like a lot of different ones

Do you enjoy big holiday dinners? We used to when I was younger.  Everyone is all spread out now so its hard to get everyone together but yeah I did

Is your vision good? No, I have contacts and glasses and I’m very blind without them ><

Is there any piece of jewelry you’re constantly wearing? Aside from my engagement and wedding ring, I wear most of the piercings I have (ears, belly button, nose and eyebrow every day.  Although I do take out my nose and eyebrow rings for work)

What is one thing you desire as of now? To move back to the other side of the state

What kind of phone do you have? Samsung S9.

If you could move anywhere, where would you choose? I want to move back to the Gulf side of Florida so bad.  We will probably be doing that at some point, but I wish we could just leave now.

Do you blog a lot, if at all? Ahh..yes and no.  I do a lot of reblogging on my main blog but I don’t post a lot of things.

Is your present hair color, natural? For the most part.  I have light brown hair but got blonde highlights for my wedding in Feb.

What makes you the most angry when it comes to people? When people won’t listen or refuse to see another perspective.

Describe your current outfit? Stranger Things PJ shirt, sports bra and seafoam green pj pants from my homestate and black socks with yellow lightening bolts.  I don’t match at all lol

What was the last thing you ordered online? Digimon virtual pet because I’m a nerd and loved virtual pets as a kid lol

Have you ever felt as though you were drifting apart from a best friend? Oh yeah, we drifted apart so much that we lost touch a few years ago :/

What color are your eyes? Brown.

Have you ever worn color contacts? Nope.

What’s the best thing about a hug? When they’re genuine, it makes you feel secure

Biggest fear? Failure

If you have a significant other, how long have you been together? We’ve been together for 10 years, married for 4 months

Do you know any genuinely friendly people? Yeah, I know a lot of them

Do you buy your friends gifts? No, I’m a horrible gift giver :/

What was the last thing you plugged in? My phone this morning

How old are you? 32

What color headphones do you own? I’m using a gray pair right now

Have you ever shopped at Urban Outfitters? Yeah but they never had anything that fit me

Where do you buy the majority of your clothing? Online.  They don’t sell any cool clothes for women in regular stores (I wear a lot of video game or anime shirts..which probably doesn’t help me look my age lol)

Would you rather wear necklaces or earrings? Ah, I’m not sure.  I only wear 1 necklace that my husband bought me but I wouldn’t wear any others.  Same with earrings, I don’t wear a lot aside from the ones that I’m currently wearing.

Do you consider yourself fortunate? Yes, I do. 

Do you enjoy watching fights? ONLY boxing, MMA/UFC, and that type of thing.  I do not like watching any other fights or arguments.

Have you ever been in a physical fight? No

Do you tend to talk badly about people? Only when they’re being mean to me.

Where are your parents as of now? I dont know, probably at home

Does your computer cooperate most of the time? Generally, yes

Does your family have any cheesy traditions? Not really but I definitely want to create some when I have kids.

When did you last go to a book store? I specifically remember going to Barnes and Noble sometime in November (2019) because I bought books 10 and 11 of Wheel of Time AND we found an Advent Calendar (I was really excited about it because we wanted one the year before but they were all sold out on Dec 1st. like, I remember that specifically lol.

What’s the closest book store where you live? Super close, like 10 min away

How much money do you have on you right now? I’m not sure, like $20?

Favorite physical feature? My eyes I guess

Are you wearing make up at the moment? Whatever is leftover after washing my face when I got home from work (I only wear eyeliner and mascara anyway)

Favorite television channel? I don’t have regular TV or cable.  I use either Netflix or Hulu (or Funimation for anime). 

Describe any piercings or tattoos you might have? I have 4 tattoos (a heart on each ankle and a nautical star on each hip).  Currently, I only have my bellybutton, nose, eyebrow pierced as well as my ears (conch, rook, industrial, and tragus).  I had my lobes pierced (4 holes up, 8 holes total) but those are pretty much closed.

Have you ever been fired from a job? No, I’ve always quit

Are you currently losing a best friend? I lost mine a long time ago (I mean, I have my husband but that isn’t the same as having a female best friend)

Describe the worst day of your life: I’m thankful I haven’t had anything extremely bad.  I’ve had a lot of bad days but nothing that has been the worst.

Do you play any video games? Oh yes, we play a lot of video games.

Would you say you hate anyone? No

Do you think freckles are cute? Yeah

Last time you went to the mall? Couple months ago

Name something that’s your favorite color: Ahh...the galaxy.  I love the blues, greens, purples of the galaxy

Have you been to Red Lobster before? Yes, but it has been a very long time!

Do you judge by appearances? I try not to.  You can never fully judge someone just on looks.

Do you follow a certain religion? No, I’m kind of agnostic I guess.

Who is your role model, if you had to choose? I don’t really have one

Would you rather have nice hair or lips? Hair

What are you most self conscious about? My teeth.  They’re not bad but I just don’t like them.

Do you have any family members who live out of town? All of them.  We’re the only ones that live here (my in-laws live on the other side of the state but they’re snowbirds - here for 6 months then back in our homestate for 6 months)

Do you consider yourself short? Yes, I’m about 5 ft.

What room are you in? The living area.

Hoodies or jackets? Don’t really have a use for them in FL but hoodies I guess.

Are you outside a lot? Not really, its Summer and getting hot. 

Have you ever been dumped via text message? UGH yes, on AIM/AOL Online TWICE! It sucked but I was only dating those two guys for a month so it wasn’t that big of deal.  Plus this was like 15 years ago lol

Do you like dreamcatchers? Eh

What is your favorite letter of the alphabet? I don’t like any one letter over another

Do you hate repetitive people and things? It depends

Do you think autocorrect is a blessing or curse? Ah, it depends on my mood lol sometimes its funny but when I’m mad, I don’t want to say “ducking”

Do you believe in any particular curses? No.

Ever play a Ouija board? No

What movie scares you the most? Any horror movies, I don’t like them

What was your bedtime as a child? I’m not sure, it obviously changed as I got older

Reason why your favorite holiday is your favorite: I like New Years, I just like the feeling of starting a new year (or even the start of the month for that matter.)

Do you work with any close friends? No. Everyone I work with are nice but I don’t have anything in common with them.

Do you consider yourself spoiled? Maybe a little but I spoil myself.

Do you listen to any country music? Not at all

Favorite high school teacher: I liked Mr. Peterson, I honestly forgot what he taught but he was hilarious

Do you ever get drunk? Not as much anymore (I don’t handle hangovers as well anymore as I did when I was younger lol) but I still have a drink occasionally

Have you ever had highlights before? Yes, I have them now.  Although they’re growing out

Favorite number: 4.

Do you still sleep with any stuffed animals? No

What is your biggest regret in life? Not knowing what I wanted to do when I was younger.  I have a career but I’m iffy about it.  I wish I had a passion or something I really wanted to do for a living.

Would you say you think you have a mental disorder of some kind? I have some stupid sort of social anxiety.  I never used to be like this so I don’t know how it developed.  I just get nervous talking with people.

Are you normally an independent person? Yes I am

Do you have any paintings? No, our walls are bare because I don’t want to put holes in an apartment wall.  When we get a house, I will definitely be putting up something.

What is one clothing fad you wish never existed? Ah, I’m not sure. Maybe shirts with ridiculous shoulder pads from the 80s? lol

Do you like to be organized? Oh yeah, I like my things in a specific order

Have you ever failed a class before? No.

Ever been judged because of your weight? Not really

What is your favorite breakfast cereal? I haven’t had cereal in a long time...I want to maybe say Count Chocula! Do they even make that anymore?

Ever had a wish come true? Yeah.

Do you regret meeting any of your exes? No, before my husband I my relationships only lasted like a month so meh

Do you own any coloring books? No

What’s the meanest thing someone’s called you? Just stupid things like “shorty” or “shrimp”.  But I’ve also been called a bitch in an argument

Have you ever bullied someone? No.

Do you ever watch Lifetime? No

Ever tried to intentionally sabotage someone’s grade? No.

Do you own any brown clothing? I’m sure I do

What color are your walls painted? They’re like a cream color

Last thing you drank: Water at work

Have you ever seen a tornado in person? No, that would be terrifying!

Do you have an in-ground pool at your house? I do at the apartment I live in (but we dont’ use it).  We also had one growing up

What is the first digit of your phone number? 6

What’s the prettiest town you’ve been to? UGH, the city I lived in a year ago :/

Do you tend to sleep a lot? Not really. I actually get about 6 to 7 hours and I function just fine

Silver or gold jewelry? White gold I guess?

Do you sometimes celebrate holidays early? We did sometimes when I was younger.  Like spend Thanksgiving a week early with my Mom’s side of the family then actually on Thanksgiving with my Dads or vice versa

Have you ever been in love? Yeah :)

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? I’m not sure

When was the last time you showered? This morning

Would you consider yourself attractive? I’m okay, not too bad

Has anyone made you mad today? Not really mad, but I got annoyed with one of my co-workers earlier.

Favorite smell: Rain, coffee

Are you afraid of insects? Ah, I find them fascinating, actually.  But doesn’t mean I want to be next to them!

Do you have any children? No :/

If so, what are their names? Would ever consider having children in the future? Absolutely!  I was actually hoping to have them by now but we’re still trying to find somewhere to settle down.  I want to be sure we have a stable home (we’ve moved around a lot) and financially stable before we have them.

Have you ever lived on a farm? No but I LOVE farming games lol (like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley)

Ever played any sports? I played baseball and soccer in middle school and I was in Track in high school

Do both of your parents have jobs? Yes

Where is the last place you’ve been on vacation? We went on a cruise to Nassau and Bahamas immediately after getting married in Feb.

Are you afraid people won’t accept you? Um, not really that they won’t accept me but I’m worried I’ll get bored with someone and push them away.

Are you, for the most part, an honest person? Yes, I am

Did you make prank phone calls as a child? No, some friends of mine did as a kid though and I hated when they did it :/

Do you like to make donations? It depends.  As long as whatever I’m donating is actually going to the person/organization/charity, then yes.

What is your current ringtone? It is a cover of “However/Glay” by Jinho from Pentagon (a kpop group).  I LOVE this song and can’t get enough of it.  I also love Jinho’s voice.

Meet anyone from your past lately? No, it would be very weird to run into anyone I previously knew from my hometown in my current city.

Have you ever called a teen suicide line? No.

Have you ever caught something on fire? LOL wellllllll not on fire BUT I accidentally singe’d/scorched my brother’s stuffed animal by leaving it sitting on the bedside lamp when I was maybe like 7?  OH man, my Mom yelled at me and I’m extremely thankful I didn’t set the house on fire!!! It had scorched marks on it ><

Ever been obsessed with a show? OH yeah, I binged My Hero Academia recently and 90 Day Fiance...I typically binge shows lol

What type of perfume or cologne do you use? I dont’ wear any

What’s the last book you read? I’m currently reading “Legends of the Älfar” by Markus Heitz.  They’re basically the evil version of Elves.  I’m not sure if I’d recommend it because its kinda...well..they’re not good creatures lol BUT I would 100% recommend “The Dwarves” also written by Markus Heitz.  Its SO GOOD!

Dream career: I honestly have no idea.  I wish I knew.

Have you ever climbed a mountain before? Yes!  We used to live in Washington (state), so we’d go hike around Mt. Rainer occasionally.  It was beautiful there (so green!) and I do miss living there sometimes.

At what age do you plan to get married? We got married 4 months ago.

Ever been in a car accident? Yeah but only fender-benders.

[torentialtribute]

Dario Gradi betrayed these children. He could’ve done something but he did nothing at all

From now on, Dario Gradi is still financially rewarded for his contribution to youth football.

He is suspended, paid in full, as technical director at Crewe Alexandra. His role is directly related to his reputation as an identifier, educator and producer of talented young men.

By presenting these simple facts in black and white, it believes that this should be the case. On Tuesday at 1 pm, when the first of several investigations into the sexual abuse scandal of football was published, Gradi's position was no longer tenable.

Dario Gradi could have prevented serial sex abuser, Eddie Heath, from abusing more young boys, according to a destructive review of historical sexual abuse in Chelsea

]

Former Chelsea Head Scout Eddie Heath

It does not matter that this report concerned better events at another club, Chelsea, and did not report to Gradi & # 39; s employers, Crewe. It is no longer a limitation to record that the monster at the heart of this investigation was a youth coach named Eddie Heath, and there are no indications that Gradi was involved in abuse.

He did nothing. He could have done something and he did nothing. He knew it and he did not act. He heard it, but he didn't care.

And due to Gradi's complacency, or slowness, or whatever motivation he might not have had until now, many more boys suffered Heath & # 39; s abuse.

Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck hearing tears. Tuesday's report contains a graphic warning about the nature of the content. Not just looking or touching, not just being a little weird, or being funny around the boys. Masturbation. Digital penetration. Sexual abuse.

& # 39; I can't remember being shocked by it because I thought it was terrible & # 39 ;, Gradi said of the only allegation he heard. Yet Heath wasn't a bit of a perverse & # 39; as he is described to a witness. He was a bad, threatening, devil of a man whose behavior helped facilitate Gradi's absence of concern.

And although Gradi may not be painted as a bad guy, he certainly seems to be hanging around with a few. He was involved in the same way in protecting his friend Barry Bennell, a football coach and child abuser on an & # 39; industrial scale & # 39; as he was described in court.

Charles Geekie QC makes Gradi's responsibility at Chelsea equally clear. He refers to Gradi as & # 39; the only example … of an adult in a responsible position at the club who is informed of a statement regarding Mr. Heath & # 39 ;. He personally blames Gradi for the consequence.

& # 39; The complaint about Mr. Heath was not referred to more senior members of the club and a chance to prevent Mr. Heath from abusing others was lost. & # 39; Gradi's reputation from this point on is irreversible. His constant employment is unconscious. Whatever development Crewe waited for before acting, here it is.

Crewe Alexandra youth team coach Barry Bennell (R), with first team manager Gradi (L)

Bennell was sentenced to 31 years in prison last year for sexual abuse of young boys

Regarding debt, we are used to addressing an industry or groups of executives. Newspaper headlines speak of & # 39; shame of football & # 39; and messages that accuse entire clubs of historic complacency and incompetence.

The independent report commissioned by Chelsea therefore shifts this story. It doesn't take the blows of culture that allowed malicious men like Heath to sneak in, but for the first time Geekie is bold enough to explain what many have suspected for so long. Someone had to know. That abuse on such a scale, in such a close-knit community, could not have remained a secret. There would have been whispers, rumors, maybe more. "I really believe that other staff and players knew what was going on, but looked at it," reports a victim.

It now appears that Gradi, the coach in his years & # 39; 30 and Chelsea & # 39; s staff as assistant manager in charge of the reserve team, certainly heard allegations against Heath directly, from a boy and his father.

Geekie rejects Gradi's version of what happened next – that he forwarded them to a senior club official – and instead suggests that he only spoke to Heath, whose boy's bullying was on the rise. This conclusion is strongly derived from interviews with Gradi, the victim and his father. Especially Geekie & # 39; s assessment of Gradi is damning. Geekie is skeptical about his evidence, his reasoning, his memories. He describes a rationalization of events such as & # 39; self-serving & # 39 ;; another is & # 39; missing in any basis or justification & # 39 ;.

& # 39; Before I heard directly from Mr. Gradi, I came to a number of preliminary conclusions that were detrimental to him & # 39 ;, Geekie admits, before devastating some pages & # 39; s later rounds, & # 39; my preliminary conclusions were correct & # 39 ;.

Gradi (top left) heard allegations against Heath directly when he was Chelsea & reserve coach

Gradi's reputation is now irreparable. The fact that he is still employed by Crewe is regrettable

The language of lawyers is naturally cautious; yet the contempt is clear here. Not only for Gradi, but later also for World Cup hero and former Chelsea manager Geoff Hurst. Geekie accurately describes the many attempts to interview Hurst, which Heath declined shortly after his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

A first letter in 2017; the second letter, sent under cover of Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck; a third letter explaining exactly why the interview was important.

Whenever Hurst replied, he was unaware of inappropriate behavior and had heard about Heath in gossip. He was fired for no other reason than his scouting performance and selections were poor. Hurst later told Buck that he did not want to respond in any way, form or form. Send a draft copy of parts of the report, there was only silence.

From a motivated point of view, Hurst's reaction seems understandable. If he has nothing to add, nothing of insight to reveal, why waste time? Nevertheless, Geekie's request makes the unanswered question clear. Witnesses have claimed that Heath was spoiled because he was good at his job. The version of Hurst challenges this. Therefore, worth a loose end?

Heath won an unlawful dismissal case against Chelsea in 1980 in which Hurst provided evidence. Although Heath claimed that he was fired at the end of a two-hour discussion about his performance, the court noted that there was & # 39; meager & # 39; details of what was said in the meeting.

Should Hurst not have filled these gaps, out of courtesy for the victims of Heath – in a way, his statement on Tuesday did not?

[1945915]

Also for other reasons. In the years that Heath had the greatest influence, football clubs were almost a secret society.

The administration was poor. Individuals – especially those involved in youth development – seemed to revolve around the club, often invited by friends and allies and paid for their services in cash.

When Barry Bennell abused the scandal that broke out, Manchester City initially had difficulty finding out if he even worked for them. There were the photos, in the Manchester City package or at the City practice area, but little in the way of a finite paper trail. When he came, when he went, what was paid to him, who was responsible for him; it was all very vague.

So every memory, every interview, researchers can afford hope. City & # 39; s interviews have uncovered the name of a second abuser, John Broome, from before Bennell & # 39; s time. There may be a piece of information, which at first glance is unimportant, that gives a whole new head start.

Does Hurst not owe this football at least? He hasn't done the game that bad since that day in 1966. Could he not give back a little? Would even 30 minutes of his time be too much to ask?

Even if he could not shed light on the questions, is there not the least sense of duty given the size of the subject? After all, those on Fleet Street know that Hurst is only too happy to talk about different topics in football when he pays his standard fee. Could he not have found it in himself to do only this for free?

Sir Geoff Hurst refused to be interviewed on a report on Eddie Heath

For what undoubtedly continues to torture the victims of Heath's abuse is not only the horror of the past, but the complacent present. The fact that Gradi is still employed, and Hurst unmoved, and the law still needs to close the gap that makes it legal for a sports coach to have sex with a 16 or 17 year old in his or her supervision.

Incredibly, even the cases of football abuse have not led the government to tighten laws and language around people who have a & # 39; trust position & # 39; to have.

Currently only people such as teachers, social workers, and youth justice workers are legal in that place; sports coaches, faith leaders and heads of cadets are part of the legally permitted sex with teenagers they supervise. The NSPCC is campaigning to close the loophole, but so far without success.

Regarding Gradi, it is no longer feasible to regard him as gullible, foolish, or misleading. It is no longer reasonable to suggest that the past was a different country. These were children and Gradi had a duty to protect their innocence.

One of the victims, who returned to Stamford Bridge for the first time, said he wanted to fall to his knees and smell the freshly cut grass – no doubt about a pleasure that has carried too many horrors on adults Age. These were the children that Gradi betrayed.

& # 39; I had no intention of troubling Eddie Heath & # 39 ;, he told the researchers. "I think I would have tried to stand up for him a little."

So Gradi chose his side and now football has to. It is unthinkable that he must be supported by Crewe or someone else in the game. From here, Gradi should go on alone – as the young men are betrayed

Even if Hurst could not & & # 39; shed some light, there is no sense of duty given size of the subject

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[luxus4me]

Design your way http://j.mp/2iRO0AY

Modern high-speed Internet has really made us spoiled.

These days, if a website takes more than 4 seconds to load, we tend to not even bother waiting; we simply close the page and find something else.

That is exactly why designers are taking the time to come up with creative preloaders like this fun little bouncing ball.

What’s a preloader?

Essentially, preloaders (also known as loaders) are what you see on the screen while the rest of the page’s content is still loading.

See the Pen Loading Bouncy ball (provisional) by kota shimura (@wabeshew) on CodePen.

Preloaders are often simple or complex animations that are used to keep visitors entertained while server operations finish processing. Unfortunately, they are also frequently overlooked in the development process of most projects.

Why is a preloader important?

Preloaders are important interface elements that let visitors know that the website hasn’t crashed, it’s just processing data. They are usually designed as moving stripes or blinking circles that represent the time necessary for loading, which, although functional, aren’t entertaining at all. Interesting animations can keep your users engaged while they’re waiting for the page to load.

Designers work really hard to make the waiting time less of a hassle for site visitors, but this can be a very difficult task if the right inspiration (and latest knowledge) isn’t there.

What should a great preloader be?

In recent years, most projects have been developed with simplified loaders as the recommended best practice. Complex loader animations haven’t been popular for a while because they used to take up a lot of resources to work, slowing down the page’s loading process even more. However, with processing power increasing, the era of simple loaders is coming to an end.

Today, a well-designed, creative animation provides an opportunity to enliven your interface. This small, but important detail contributes to the individuality and branding of any product.

For this reason, we’ve compiled and curated the following list of bright, funny, and unique preloader examples (including some of SteelKiwi’s very own designs) to help you and your design team find some inspiration!

30 of the best preloader design out there

Sliding Square LoaderView

This sliding square loader makes the waiting a bit less frustrating as it keeps your eye moving along with the squares. A great solution for businesses who sell electronics or games online to keep their visitors engaged with the website.

DotsLoaderView

The bouncing black balls that appear out of nowhere and disappear serve as an entertaining element and could be used for websites that want to look presentable yet with a pinch of playfulness.

Simple Loader

This is a perfect example of a drum-like preloader which resembles a spinning lottery wheel. If a business owner wants to make a logical connection between this loader and the application which may imply opportunities, luck, or excitement, then this loading screen should serve its needs.

Bird Loader

These simple geometric shapes remind a birdy turning its head to the left or right as if talking to somebody. This animation can make a good preloader for sites featuring businesses in the TV-, radio-, or social media industry.

LittlePin Spinner

Applications featuring travel or location-based services could make loading much more appealing using the little colorful geopin which flips back and forth.

No Halftime Loaders Petrick

An exciting animation with different kinds of balls in motion makes visitors forget that this is just a loader. This loader could complement any website featuring sports events, activities, or sports inventory.

Monkey Swinging Loader Hello Dribbble

Love animals? Here is a loader in disguise — a swinging monkey. Being fun and entertaining, it can entice users while they are waiting for the page to load. Businesses that are in the entertainment industry, such as magazines, movies, marketing, advertising, or those who simply want to stand out among the crowd and draw a smile on visitors’ faces can use it.

Cooper loader

The copper preloader in the shape of the eternity loop moves smoothly like a mesmerizing wave. The loader with its neat, minimalistic design and soothing animation is applicable for almost any business.

Loading…

Here is the drop that never drops. The white and subdued blue colors contrast well together, and this preloader will never make the visitor bored or frustrated with the loading. Businesses who would like to appeal to younger generations could use this loading screen.

Ping-Pong Loader

The ping-pong loader, with its rubber feel animation featuring a paddles and a ball, can’t help get one’s eyes off it. It is supposed to warm visitors up before they actually access the content of a website. This loader is good for sports sites or any other sites that offer anything from sports activities to inventory.

SurveyPlanet app Loader

The turquoise planet with a white rocket orbiting it keeps visitors’ attention on the preloading screen. This planet loader can be used for entertainment apps, or any other organizations which do research or make various discoveries known to the public.

Blurred Gear Loader

A blurred gearwheel loader with the three spinning gearwheels embodies movement and complexity and could be appropriate for businesses who market machinery or mechanic parts.

See the Pen Blurred Gear Loader by Joni Trythall (@jonitrythall) on CodePen.

CSS Stairs Loader

The descending and ascending stairs loader with a white ball jumping on top has a minimalistic design yet it is very straightforward. It could make sense for business who want to present themselves as serious and trustworthy.

See the Pen CSS Stairs Loader by Irko Palenius (@ispal) on CodePen.

Loading Pen

With a light touch of simplicity, the caterpillar-like colorful circles that move to the left or right and come as one at each side make loading less boring to visitors. The loader is appropriate for almost any kind of businesses with it’s universal animation, and it should keep visitors amused while waiting to land on the homepage.

See the Pen ZbVVwa by Dave McCarthy (@AsLittleDesign) on CodePen.

CSS Loader

A simple “attention getter” loader like this rolling cube that gets bigger when moving forward and returns to its initial shape when going back, is a reserved solution for business that want to appear smart and sophisticated to the visitor.

See the Pen Loader css3 by Mathieu Richard (@MathieuRichard) on CodePen.

Vivid CSS3 Spinner

The vivid spinner loader with the rotating rainbow that rolls into a sort of geometric flower-like shape can cheer the visitors up and help them get ready for something fun and exciting. Such loader could be used for businesses who market their products or services to kids. It should work well for children’s education sites.

See the Pen Vivid CSS3 Spinner by Kevin Jannis (@kevinjannis) on CodePen.

Prism Loading Screen

The prism loading screen should remind one of the LinkedIn’s background for photos. The loader remotely looks like constellations which are moving in space with the main element in the middle which could potentially feature a corporate logo. The loader could be used for businesses that work with international clients, for example in the B2B sector.

See the Pen Prism Loading Screen by Ken Chen (@kenchen) on CodePen.

Loader

Like variety? Here is the loader which keeps a visitor entertained, letting them see a countdown accompanied by changing animation of different pictures. Keep in mind, that this loader can have any pictures rotating so it can cater to fit any business’s needs.

See the Pen Loader by Alex Rutherford (@Ruddy) on CodePen.

Redirecting Loader

Here is a silhouette of man with a jetpack on his back flying as as fast as he can. Such loader which redirects a user to the next page can be used by almost any business, especially the ones that would like to highlight the speed element of their service.

See the Pen Redirecting Loader by Mr Alien (@mr_alien) on CodePen.

Codepen Loading Dots

Having a minimalistic and succinct design, this dot preloader could be used by artistic people or designers for their online portfolios for instance.

See the Pen Codepen Loading Dots by White Wolf Wizard (@WhiteWolfWizard) on CodePen.

Preloader Animation

Shouldn’t this preloader remind one of the snake game? This energy icon animation with a plug can make sense for internet providers or any other agencies who help businesses and clients collaborate.

See the Pen Preloader SVG animation by Jason Miller (@imjasonmiller) on CodePen.

Making Pancake

Pancakes right from the stove! The loader with a flipping pancake on the frying pan should make a visitor’s mouth water. It can be a good start for websites dedicated to cooking or baking.

See the Pen ‘Making pancake’ loader by Pawel (@pawelqcm) on CodePen.

Simple Loader

If a business owner is not picky about their preloader and would like to keep it simple, here is a straightforward one with a splitting rectangle that splits.

See the Pen Loader by Maroš Horniak (@majci23) on CodePen.

Loader Animation

Here is a collection of custom animated SVG-powered loaders featuring different shapes and basic geometric forms. Businesses owners who want to maintain seriousness can exploit the neatness of these loaders in various design purposes.

See the Pen SVG Loader Animation by Nikhil Krishnan (@nikhil8krishnan) on CodePen.

Hand Animation Loading

This hand animation seems to never stop tapping its fingers as if always waiting for something. It sort of conveys the feeling people may experience while waiting and could be used by businesses that strive to maintain a great sense of humor about themselves.

See the Pen Hand animation – loading by r4ms3s (@r4ms3s) on CodePen.

Tree Preloader

The SVG and CSS-powered tree preloader is a neat animation to appear on family or medical applications. The tree gradually spreads its branches which seem to be breathing in, making the animation pleasant to look at.

See the Pen Tree Preloader by Jürgen Genser (@juergengenser) on CodePen.

Travel Preloader

Here is a preloader applicable for travel and transportation rentals businesses. The loading screen changes the type of vehicle accompanied by the text to enhance the overall impression.

See the Pen Travel Preloader by Matthew Nahmias (@mnahmias) on CodePen.

Car Drift Loader

This SVG-powered car drift loader is another unconventional solution for websites that market vehicles. However, if taken figuratively, the preloader can be used for websites or apps related to various social events which bring people excitement and make a lasting impression.

See the Pen SVG Car Drift Loader by Chris Gannon (@chrisgannon) on CodePen.

Spinning Head

And a cherry on top! Here is a preloader with a pinch of humor — no matter how hard the bubble gum character is running around his head, it is too heavy and big to move, and he seems to enjoy it.

Greatest examples of page preloading animations

Here are 5 websites with eloquent preloaders for you to enjoy!

1. W. Brett Wilson

Another creative loading screen can be found on W. Brett Wilson’s website. A silhouette of a man running in a hamster wheel and text appearing like a slideshow keep the visitor entertained and engaged with the website, while also complementing its design.

2. Сreative Сruise

Creative Cruise website was built to invite people to celebrate Amsterdam’s creative vibe. To emphasize the atmosphere before a visitor even lands on the homepage, a hilarious looking man who is dancing breakdance appears on the loading screen. The character used in the preloader makes perfect sense since the homepage is full of alike characters dancing and partying.

3. Opencontinents

Here is a website built for cinematic exploration in global storytelling. Open Continents’ animation is a well-disguised preloader featuring dancing stars in a merry-go-round circle. The animation is alluring with its interactive element where a user can direct their cursor on the circle and see how the stars spread along. This preloader complements the Earth that appears on the homepage. The idea is to embody movement and mystery, motivating visitors to explore the site, keeping them interested in the meantime.

4. Kokopako

Websites like Kokopako (created in a form of a portfolio) can make good use of preloaders, adding personal touch and meaning to the content on a site. The year of 1987 is a countdown preloader which deepens the narrative of the website, while also being well-integrated into the homepage.

5. McWhopper.com

McWhopper’s website was created to market a special proposal from McDonald’s and Burger King. The website’s preloader is very appealing to first-time visitors with its animated burger that jumps as if it were on a trampoline, giving an opportunity to see all the ingredients and making the waiting experience more enjoyable. In addition, the preloader makes use of text and fits well with the overall design of the site.

More loader resources

We hope this list will inspire you to develop a great preloader design for your project!

For even more examples of creative loaders, you can also explore this showcase of the best website preloaders made with animated Gifs, CSS3, Canvas, or other Javascript-based techniques, learn from this post about creating animated loaders using nothing but CSS, and read through this post about creating custom animations to decrease your bounce rates.

Don’t have time to build your own? There are lots of preloaders that can be used for free (or for a small price). Check out preloaders.net or browse through this list of free preloaders and spinners for web designers and developers.

If you have any other questions about preloader design, or you need a truly unique and original design for a preloader of your own, contact our team and we will come up with the perfect loader which will turn your project into something really unforgettable!

The post Top 30 Most Captivating Preloaders for Your Website appeared first on Design your way.

http://ift.tt/2n3aS5a via Design your way URL : http://ift.tt/15lrqEz

[jamiekturner]

Top 30 Most Captivating Preloaders for Your Website

Modern high-speed Internet has really made us spoiled.

These days, if a website takes more than 4 seconds to load, we tend to not even bother waiting; we simply close the page and find something else.

That is exactly why designers are taking the time to come up with creative preloaders like this fun little bouncing ball.

What’s a preloader?

Essentially, preloaders (also known as loaders) are what you see on the screen while the rest of the page’s content is still loading.

See the Pen Loading Bouncy ball (provisional) by kota shimura (@wabeshew) on CodePen.

Preloaders are often simple or complex animations that are used to keep visitors entertained while server operations finish processing. Unfortunately, they are also frequently overlooked in the development process of most projects.

Why is a preloader important?

Preloaders are important interface elements that let visitors know that the website hasn’t crashed, it’s just processing data. They are usually designed as moving stripes or blinking circles that represent the time necessary for loading, which, although functional, aren’t entertaining at all. Interesting animations can keep your users engaged while they’re waiting for the page to load.

Designers work really hard to make the waiting time less of a hassle for site visitors, but this can be a very difficult task if the right inspiration (and latest knowledge) isn’t there.

What should a great preloader be?

In recent years, most projects have been developed with simplified loaders as the recommended best practice. Complex loader animations haven’t been popular for a while because they used to take up a lot of resources to work, slowing down the page’s loading process even more. However, with processing power increasing, the era of simple loaders is coming to an end.

Today, a well-designed, creative animation provides an opportunity to enliven your interface. This small, but important detail contributes to the individuality and branding of any product.

For this reason, we’ve compiled and curated the following list of bright, funny, and unique preloader examples (including some of SteelKiwi’s very own designs) to help you and your design team find some inspiration!

30 of the best preloader design out there

Sliding Square LoaderView

This sliding square loader makes the waiting a bit less frustrating as it keeps your eye moving along with the squares. A great solution for businesses who sell electronics or games online to keep their visitors engaged with the website.

DotsLoaderView

The bouncing black balls that appear out of nowhere and disappear serve as an entertaining element and could be used for websites that want to look presentable yet with a pinch of playfulness.

Simple Loader

This is a perfect example of a drum-like preloader which resembles a spinning lottery wheel. If a business owner wants to make a logical connection between this loader and the application which may imply opportunities, luck, or excitement, then this loading screen should serve its needs.

Bird Loader

These simple geometric shapes remind a birdy turning its head to the left or right as if talking to somebody. This animation can make a good preloader for sites featuring businesses in the TV-, radio-, or social media industry.

LittlePin Spinner

Applications featuring travel or location-based services could make loading much more appealing using the little colorful geopin which flips back and forth.

No Halftime Loaders Petrick

An exciting animation with different kinds of balls in motion makes visitors forget that this is just a loader. This loader could complement any website featuring sports events, activities, or sports inventory.

Monkey Swinging Loader Hello Dribbble

Love animals? Here is a loader in disguise — a swinging monkey. Being fun and entertaining, it can entice users while they are waiting for the page to load. Businesses that are in the entertainment industry, such as magazines, movies, marketing, advertising, or those who simply want to stand out among the crowd and draw a smile on visitors’ faces can use it.

Cooper loader

The copper preloader in the shape of the eternity loop moves smoothly like a mesmerizing wave. The loader with its neat, minimalistic design and soothing animation is applicable for almost any business.

Loading…

Here is the drop that never drops. The white and subdued blue colors contrast well together, and this preloader will never make the visitor bored or frustrated with the loading. Businesses who would like to appeal to younger generations could use this loading screen.

Ping-Pong Loader

The ping-pong loader, with its rubber feel animation featuring a paddles and a ball, can’t help get one’s eyes off it. It is supposed to warm visitors up before they actually access the content of a website. This loader is good for sports sites or any other sites that offer anything from sports activities to inventory.

SurveyPlanet app Loader

The turquoise planet with a white rocket orbiting it keeps visitors’ attention on the preloading screen. This planet loader can be used for entertainment apps, or any other organizations which do research or make various discoveries known to the public.

Blurred Gear Loader

A blurred gearwheel loader with the three spinning gearwheels embodies movement and complexity and could be appropriate for businesses who market machinery or mechanic parts.

See the Pen Blurred Gear Loader by Joni Trythall (@jonitrythall) on CodePen.

CSS Stairs Loader

The descending and ascending stairs loader with a white ball jumping on top has a minimalistic design yet it is very straightforward. It could make sense for business who want to present themselves as serious and trustworthy.

See the Pen CSS Stairs Loader by Irko Palenius (@ispal) on CodePen.

Loading Pen

With a light touch of simplicity, the caterpillar-like colorful circles that move to the left or right and come as one at each side make loading less boring to visitors. The loader is appropriate for almost any kind of businesses with it’s universal animation, and it should keep visitors amused while waiting to land on the homepage.

See the Pen ZbVVwa by Dave McCarthy (@AsLittleDesign) on CodePen.

CSS Loader

A simple “attention getter” loader like this rolling cube that gets bigger when moving forward and returns to its initial shape when going back, is a reserved solution for business that want to appear smart and sophisticated to the visitor.

See the Pen Loader css3 by Mathieu Richard (@MathieuRichard) on CodePen.

Vivid CSS3 Spinner

The vivid spinner loader with the rotating rainbow that rolls into a sort of geometric flower-like shape can cheer the visitors up and help them get ready for something fun and exciting. Such loader could be used for businesses who market their products or services to kids. It should work well for children’s education sites.

See the Pen Vivid CSS3 Spinner by Kevin Jannis (@kevinjannis) on CodePen.

Prism Loading Screen

The prism loading screen should remind one of the LinkedIn’s background for photos. The loader remotely looks like constellations which are moving in space with the main element in the middle which could potentially feature a corporate logo. The loader could be used for businesses that work with international clients, for example in the B2B sector.

See the Pen Prism Loading Screen by Ken Chen (@kenchen) on CodePen.

Loader

Like variety? Here is the loader which keeps a visitor entertained, letting them see a countdown accompanied by changing animation of different pictures. Keep in mind, that this loader can have any pictures rotating so it can cater to fit any business’s needs.

See the Pen Loader by Alex Rutherford (@Ruddy) on CodePen.

Redirecting Loader

Here is a silhouette of man with a jetpack on his back flying as as fast as he can. Such loader which redirects a user to the next page can be used by almost any business, especially the ones that would like to highlight the speed element of their service.

See the Pen Redirecting Loader by Mr Alien (@mr_alien) on CodePen.

Codepen Loading Dots

Having a minimalistic and succinct design, this dot preloader could be used by artistic people or designers for their online portfolios for instance.

See the Pen Codepen Loading Dots by White Wolf Wizard (@WhiteWolfWizard) on CodePen.

Preloader Animation

Shouldn’t this preloader remind one of the snake game? This energy icon animation with a plug can make sense for internet providers or any other agencies who help businesses and clients collaborate.

See the Pen Preloader SVG animation by Jason Miller (@imjasonmiller) on CodePen.

Making Pancake

Pancakes right from the stove! The loader with a flipping pancake on the frying pan should make a visitor’s mouth water. It can be a good start for websites dedicated to cooking or baking.

See the Pen ‘Making pancake’ loader by Pawel (@pawelqcm) on CodePen.

Simple Loader

If a business owner is not picky about their preloader and would like to keep it simple, here is a straightforward one with a splitting rectangle that splits.

See the Pen Loader by Maroš Horniak (@majci23) on CodePen.

Loader Animation

Here is a collection of custom animated SVG-powered loaders featuring different shapes and basic geometric forms. Businesses owners who want to maintain seriousness can exploit the neatness of these loaders in various design purposes.

See the Pen SVG Loader Animation by Nikhil Krishnan (@nikhil8krishnan) on CodePen.

Hand Animation Loading

This hand animation seems to never stop tapping its fingers as if always waiting for something. It sort of conveys the feeling people may experience while waiting and could be used by businesses that strive to maintain a great sense of humor about themselves.

See the Pen Hand animation – loading by r4ms3s (@r4ms3s) on CodePen.

Tree Preloader

The SVG and CSS-powered tree preloader is a neat animation to appear on family or medical applications. The tree gradually spreads its branches which seem to be breathing in, making the animation pleasant to look at.

See the Pen Tree Preloader by Jürgen Genser (@juergengenser) on CodePen.

Travel Preloader

Here is a preloader applicable for travel and transportation rentals businesses. The loading screen changes the type of vehicle accompanied by the text to enhance the overall impression.

See the Pen Travel Preloader by Matthew Nahmias (@mnahmias) on CodePen.

Car Drift Loader

This SVG-powered car drift loader is another unconventional solution for websites that market vehicles. However, if taken figuratively, the preloader can be used for websites or apps related to various social events which bring people excitement and make a lasting impression.

See the Pen SVG Car Drift Loader by Chris Gannon (@chrisgannon) on CodePen.

Spinning Head

And a cherry on top! Here is a preloader with a pinch of humor — no matter how hard the bubble gum character is running around his head, it is too heavy and big to move, and he seems to enjoy it.

Greatest examples of page preloading animations

Here are 5 websites with eloquent preloaders for you to enjoy!

1. W. Brett Wilson

Another creative loading screen can be found on W. Brett Wilson’s website. A silhouette of a man running in a hamster wheel and text appearing like a slideshow keep the visitor entertained and engaged with the website, while also complementing its design.

2. Сreative Сruise

Creative Cruise website was built to invite people to celebrate Amsterdam’s creative vibe. To emphasize the atmosphere before a visitor even lands on the homepage, a hilarious looking man who is dancing breakdance appears on the loading screen. The character used in the preloader makes perfect sense since the homepage is full of alike characters dancing and partying.

3. Opencontinents

Here is a website built for cinematic exploration in global storytelling. Open Continents’ animation is a well-disguised preloader featuring dancing stars in a merry-go-round circle. The animation is alluring with its interactive element where a user can direct their cursor on the circle and see how the stars spread along. This preloader complements the Earth that appears on the homepage. The idea is to embody movement and mystery, motivating visitors to explore the site, keeping them interested in the meantime.

4. Kokopako

Websites like Kokopako (created in a form of a portfolio) can make good use of preloaders, adding personal touch and meaning to the content on a site. The year of 1987 is a countdown preloader which deepens the narrative of the website, while also being well-integrated into the homepage.

5. McWhopper.com

McWhopper’s website was created to market a special proposal from McDonald’s and Burger King. The website’s preloader is very appealing to first-time visitors with its animated burger that jumps as if it were on a trampoline, giving an opportunity to see all the ingredients and making the waiting experience more enjoyable. In addition, the preloader makes use of text and fits well with the overall design of the site.

More loader resources

We hope this list will inspire you to develop a great preloader design for your project!

For even more examples of creative loaders, you can also explore this showcase of the best website preloaders made with animated Gifs, CSS3, Canvas, or other Javascript-based techniques, learn from this post about creating animated loaders using nothing but CSS, and read through this post about creating custom animations to decrease your bounce rates.

Don’t have time to build your own? There are lots of preloaders that can be used for free (or for a small price). Check out preloaders.net or browse through this list of free preloaders and spinners for web designers and developers.

If you have any other questions about preloader design, or you need a truly unique and original design for a preloader of your own, contact our team and we will come up with the perfect loader which will turn your project into something really unforgettable!

The post Top 30 Most Captivating Preloaders for Your Website appeared first on Design your way.

from Web Development & Designing http://www.designyourway.net/blog/web-design/30-captivating-preloaders/

[comiconverse]

Game Review: Zero Time Dilemma

Zero Time Dilemma is an interactive novel/puzzle game concluding the Zero Escape trilogy. It’s out now on PC, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS. Alan Stock staves off Zero’s memory-loss drug to bring you this spoiler-free review for ComiConverse.

Game Review: Zero Time Dilemma

Virtue’s Last Reward (VLR), the previous instalment in the Zero Escape series, left me desperate for more of this compelling saga. I was addicted to the twisting, complex storylines, great scenarios and memorable characters of these interactive novels. I quickly picked up Zero Escape Dilemma to finish off the storyline – kept hanging from the unresolved ending of VLR. I was curious whether the appeal of the deadly Nonary Games could survive yet another rehash. I was happy to discover that creator Kotaro Uchikoshi manages to keep the series fresh, pander to his fans and tie up loose plot ends, despite some flaws.

The sinister Zero. Credit: Chime

First, a bit of history. It’s actually a miracle that Zero Time Dilemma was made at all. The backstory behind the game’s creation is a tribute to the power of social media. The previous titles in the series; 999 and VLR, hadn’t been very commercially successful. But when passionate fans heard that Uchikoshi’s wish to finish the series was being dismissed for financial reasons, Zero Escape lovers worldwide banded together. They began an online grassroots movement called “Operation Bluebird”, gaining thousands of supporters. This collaborative effort persuaded the publishers to continue Zero Time Dilemma’s development, and reportedly Uchikoshi even used a fan-made vocal track based on a song in VLR during his pitch for the game. It’s a heartwarming tale in the financially cut-throat world of the games industry. Developers Chime included a special message thanking their fans for making the game possible in the credits and Uchikoshi is forever brimming with praise for his loyal fans.

Credit: Chime

For anyone who hasn’t read my previous Zero Escape reviews – what are these games? Primarily they’re interactive novels, with lots of character dialogue and twisting, intertwined plotlines. Breaking up the narrative are escape-the-room puzzle sections, where you explore a small area, solving devious puzzles in order to progress and see the next section of the story. But what makes this saga special, apart from the quality writing and interesting characters, is the clever structure of these games.

During the story, you get to make important decisions – such as who to team up with, or where to go next. The games have multiple endings, and in order to see them, you are able to hop back to decision points in the story and choose different outcomes to see how things change. You can visualise this as a branching flowchart of different possible timelines, which the games let the player see. Some endings can only be accessed by learning information from one timeline, giving you answers allowing you to progress in a different timeline. The idea of multiple timelines, choice and consequence are all tied into the crazy, sci-fi themed narrative.

The tip of the iceberg of the complex timeline trees in the game. Credit: Chime

Zero Time Dilemma continues where VLR left off. I won’t spoil any of these games for you, but be warned that Zero Time Dilemma contains some pretty heavy spoilers for both VLR and 999. Playing them first is highly recommended especially as they’re both brilliant games. The story’s premise this time around will be familiar to anyone who’s played these titles. Nine unfortunate people are imprisoned by the masked villain Zero in a mysterious facility and must play deadly games in order to escape.

The more realistic look of the protagonists really gels well with the subject matter, but preserves the great character design of the previous games. Credit: Chime

Unlike previous games, most of the nine victims already know a bit about each other – they are candidates for a simulated Mars mission who have spent a week getting to know each other. Some returning characters from the series are present – their goal: to foil catastrophic events that will happen if they don’t intervene. Zero has drugged and locked up the cast in an underground bunker explaining the game has “the fates of you, me, and the human race in the balance.” The rules of the game: a single door allows escape, but the only way to unlock it is to enter six passwords. When someone dies, a single password is revealed. So, in order to escape, at least six of the players must die. Each player wears an immovable bracelet, and every 90 minutes, it injects a memory-loss drug into them, making them forget what happened.

Damn Zero, not again! Credit: Chime

This time around, the players are split into three teams, isolated from each other in different wards of the bunker. Each team is put through various trials including the deadly escape-the-room games. In contrast to other Zero Escape games, you view events from a third person perspective instead of playing as one of the protagonists. Your viewpoint hops between the three teams as you see fit.

Mistrust is heavy in the air. One of the nine is an unknown boy called “Q” wearing a bizarre helmet covering his head, who claims to have amnesia. Who is he? Zero’s messages are pre-recorded – could he be among the players? Zero encourages players and teams to betray each other at every turn, to sacrifice others to save themselves. As events turn sour, people die and mysteries thicken.

Q, pictured here, is a great character. Who lies beneath that helmet? Credit: Chime

The dark tone of 999 returns, with a lot of gore, death, shock and plenty of unsettling moments. The atmosphere is thick. It’s even more reminiscent of the movies Saw and Battle Royale than previous outings – no bad thing. But humour’s still present, providing some light relief from the dark – although thankfully it’s been a toned down in quantity compared to 999 and VLR, befitting the serious predicament of the players. The game gives you plenty of difficult decisions, such as who to execute in a no-win situation. Some of these choices must be made within a tight time limit, adding an extra sense of urgency.

I sense this ain’t gonna end well… Credit: Chime

To give an example of the hard decisions and tone of the game (minor scenario spoiler ahead), one memorable escape-the-room scene is also featured as Zero Time Dilemma’s box art. One team is locked in a room. Within, a girl is trapped in a trash incinerator, which is about to start up and burn her alive – with no hope of escape. A man is held strapped to a chair outside the incinerator, a revolver fixed on the frame, muzzle pressed against his head. The gun’s chamber spins – 3 out of 6 of the bullets are live rounds. The last player, a girl, is given a choice that you must make for her. The time before incineration is about to end. The sound of the revolver firing will unlock the incinerator and free the girl inside. Don’t shoot, and she’ll burn. Shoot, and there’s a 50% chance that you’ll blow the brains out of the guy in the chair (due to half of the bullets being live). During this deadline, the characters appeal frantically for you to choose one option or the other. You have only 10 seconds to choose – and you must live with the consequences. Someone will probably die – but who?

Critical decisions are highlighted with much fanfare, a far cry from the stress-free “choose your room” options from earlier games. Credit: Chime

These tense moments are elevated through excellent music. Their impact is also helped by the characters being 3D and animated within the world in this instalment, rather than just overlaid on a flat background. The character animation and facial expressions are stiff (forgivable given the game’s handheld roots), but still make the story much more engaging, together with the cinematic camera angles. The English voice acting is a bit hit-and-miss; some characters are brilliantly voiced, like newcomer boy “Q” who puts to shame the awful child’s voice performance in VLR. But others really don’t hit the mark, either through poor delivery or the voice not really fitting the character. Zero himself is also very quiet in the mix – I recommend turning up the voice volume immediately, or even using subtitles to hear what he’s saying. Fortunately, the writing and translation work is once again excellent. The characters are on the whole are even more believable and likeable than the previous games, feeling much more like real people than the caricatures we’re used to in Zero Escape.

Inside one of Zero Time Dilemma’s many escape rooms. Credit: Chime

The escape rooms are as devious as ever, with some good puzzle design – fortunately not hitting as many difficulty spikes as Virtue’s Last Reward. The room designs tie in nicely with the concepts and themes of Zero Time Dilemma. Continuing Zero Escape tradition, interesting and complex scientific or philosophical theories are explored throughout the story – the game touching for example on topics like the Sleeping Beauty Problem, and Monty’s Dilemma. These brain teasers get the characters (and you) musing about what exactly Zero and his game’s purpose really is – and are great food for thought. They also have a bearing on Zero Time Dilemma’s bold timeline structure.

Puzzles range from the straightforward, like this one, to the more devious. In general their design is good and there’s some good head-scratchers throughout. Credit: Chime

The addition of memory-loss drugs to the story affect the game’s structure in an interesting way. Instead of progressing through the plot in a linear fashion like the last games, here it’s broken into “fragments” that each team experiences. You pick a team, then choose one of the many fragments available, with only a thumbnail image hinting at what it may contain. You play through the fragment and at the end the team is usually injected with both sleeping and memory-loss drugs. The cycle continues – pick a team, play a fragment. After you’ve experienced certain events, more fragments will unlock.

The fragment select screen. Credit: Chime

This means the order in which you experience events will be very different (at least in the first few hours) between players of Zero Time Dilemma. It feels like the movie Memento: you experience the story in the same way that the game characters do – waking up in a situation each time with only a vague idea of when it’s happening, and what horrors might have already occurred but which you’ve forgotten. Of course, the more fragments you play, the more you begin to piece everything together. One fragment may answer mysteries you found in a different fragment – making the narrative experience different for each player until the game becomes more linear. It’s a great idea, but not without its flaws.

Sadly gone are the clever bracelet ideas from the last games, instead they serve just as a device to inject the drugs, and helpfully double up as a watch. What a nice guy Zero is. Credit: Chime

The fragment structure makes the first part of the game a disorientating experience, which is, of course, intentional, but this loss of coherency makes it difficult for the game to build tension and maintain a good narrative pace. It’s only in the later part of Zero Time Dilemma when more linear events start rolling that the story really gets you hooked. Before then, you’re hopping between fragments with the plot a confusing mess of random events with unclear connections. Curiosity will keep you playing, but it’s when the plot becomes less fragmented that the game’s at its most enjoyable. Then you’ll find it very hard to put down. Another problem with the fragment structure is that the game is front-loaded with escape-the-room sections – because most of these are fragments unlocked from the start. Once you’ve seen them, the rest of the fragments play out mostly as interactive narrative meaning the gameplay takes a back-seat.

This game is not for the faint-hearted – there’s some pretty gruesome stuff in here, even if it is cartoonish gore. Perhaps it would have more impact if it was more subtle like 999’s glimpses and descriptions of horrific scenes. Credit: Chime

An in-game flow chart is available to help you track events, timelines, and spot decision paths you’ve missed. However, I found this to be a bit of a lazy crutch and thought it was much better fun to try and piece together the fragments for myself. As the story unfolds, you start to link which fragments occur in which timelines, and you’ll eventually see some of them to their conclusions. After a few endings, in true Zero Escape fashion, the plot goes completely haywire and loads of crazy things happen one after another. Twists and revelations abound, questions are answered, more are raised. All the story  strands ultimately intertwine brilliantly. There are even clever puzzles associated with the game’s structure, but I can’t really talk about these without spoiling it for you.

The location design is industrial and fairly boring – the space lacking the flair of 999’s cruise liner setting. Credit: Chime

Unfortunately, there are some story sticking points – locked narrative gates where the game does a poor job of communicating how to progress further. Two in particular spring to mind, where I had to check online how to proceed – I found many others had the same problem. The plot’s fragmentation although interesting, does hurt the game somewhat. Some of the twists and plot resolutions are also either ludicrous or quite hamfisted. Some fans will be annoyed at the how events are wrapped up, and won’t be happy with new plot devices that were introduced to bring this complex trilogy to a close.

The inventory is finally easy to use compared to the previous games, although it’s implementation is still somewhat clunky. Credit: Chime

The final ending will probably disappoint some players, and it’s worth pointing out this is a significantly shorter game than VLR, clocking in around 20-30 hours depending on how many of the fragments you re-play. Some of these problems are due to the time restraint of the game’s short development – half of the writing and event design were done by other people than Uchikoshi (who wrote the entirety of the last two games) and it shows. It’s also important to note that the PC port makes no effort to update the user interface to reflect the changed control scheme, handheld console icons are everywhere – and it has control and performance issues throughout, a poor effort.

Carlos seems like your a boring pretty-boy jock at first, but he really grew on me. Credit: Chime

But overall, regardless of the platform you play on, Zero Time Dilemma is still a highly engaging story that really gets its hooks into you. Some of the plot strands are brilliant and there are plenty of heart-stopping moments, brilliant revelations, clever ideas and “what the heck?!” bombshells. This is what Zero Escape is all about. Add in the new emotive characters, great soundtrack and cinematic direction and it’s really the pinnacle of the overall series in terms of a polished, engrossing movie-like experience. There’s more urgency and pace in this instalment. Zero Time Dilemma feels distinctly different from the previous games, which is good. But unfortunately, partly as a result of the pacing and the fragmented structure, the plot and overall immersion don’t quite live up to its predecessors, even though at times it’s fantastic.

No Zero Escape game would be complete without a ridiculously sexy lady with everything on show – fortunately, the other girls in the game show a lot more class, with Mira here being the least interesting of the bunch. Credit: Chime

Zero Time Dilemma finishes off a superb trilogy with a bang. Crucially, it tries a different angle and attempts to mix up the formula a bit. The return of darker, more serious content is welcome, adding the gritty edge that VLR sorely lacked. It takes a while to warm to, but once you get into it, you’ll find it impossible to stop playing and you’ll want answers to all your questions. It’s with a heavy heart I must bid farewell to the colourful cast and intricate plot of this great series – and I can’t wait to see what Uchikoshi does next.

  The post Game Review: Zero Time Dilemma appeared first on ComiConverse.