#which actually has unique and distinct sounding openings but its like if you don't have at least one generic action song the mass public...

[gay-jesus-probably]

So like, last night I stumbled upon your discussions of why a lot of TOTK’s whole… everything is messed up, and it had me thinking about it so much I had troubled sleeping afterwards. So uh, thanks for that lol (/lh). In all seriousness, your takes on how imperialist Hyrule is in this game, how much less like unique cultures the various towns feel like, Ganondorf being both completely flat and also seemingly not meant to be, and how weird it is that Zelda is back in power really put into words a lot of thoughts that had been nagging at me as I’ve been playing. Like, the amount to which the writing has suffered from BOTW is staggering when you actually lay out the problems. Out of curiosity, do you have any idea what the fuck happened? Like did the writing team change? The game had so much potential, as seen by the numerous fan theories/AUs etc. So what went wrong?

Honestly? I have no idea. I'm not usually that big on behind the scenes stuff anyways, and I'll be real here, I went into this game pretty much 100% blind - I didn't even watch any of the trailers, I knew NOTHING about TOTK except from a few details I absorbed from hearing other people talk about online (basically, I knew Ganondorf was going to show up as a talking corpse, Link would lose an arm, and the Master Sword would get rekt).

I rarely buy games as soon as they come out anyways tbh; I can only think of three games that I've actually gone out of my way to get as soon as possible after their release, and that was the 3DS remakes of Superstar Saga and Bowsers Inside Story (two of my favourite games ever, and Superstar Saga having literally been my first RPG), and I picked up the Mario 3D All Stars collection on launch day as a favour to my older sibling (who was stuck at work), and got one for myself in the process. The only reason I bought TOTK like a week after its release was because one of our dogs was literally days away from having a puppy, and so I knew that the next few weeks of my life would be entirely dedicated to keeping the other two dogs busy, assisting mom with the newborn puppy, and just generally being on call to provide literally anything mom needed as soon as she needed it. Which meant a lot of sitting around waiting to be required, and I'd need something to do that I could easily pause at a moments notice. So... new video game seemed a good way to fill the hang time.

And it was a good call, like I said, I've been having loads of fun with this game. There's a reason I've almost got 300 hours of gameplay, and it's not (just) because I haven't had anything better to do in between taking care of dog stuff (though that number is somewhat inflated due to me leaving it open and paused for hours at a time while busy with dog stuff). It's just that the story is a fucking mess.

As for what happened with the story... I have no idea. I've seen some people suggest that they might have been planning something a little more ambitious, and then technical limitations forced them to walk it back, so the story had to be hastily reworked to match. And I've heard that the abilities in TOTK were just ideas they had for BOTW that they couldn't fit in, which honestly I can see - the abilities are cool and all, but let's be real here, they aren't nearly as distinct as the BOTW runes. Magnesis, Cryonis, Stasis and Remote Bombs were unique powers with different uses in different areas; now the powerset is just Recall, Get Around Slightly Faster, Ultrahand, Ultrahand But In Your Inventory, and Ultrahand But Faster. But I don't know if that's actually the case.

But honestly, I really don't know why the writing is so awful. To be fair, some of it is definitely just the English translation team shitting the bed - like come on, they didn't need to have Sidon and Yona repeatedly exchange the exact same line about how he's scared she'll die like Mipha. They could have at least changed the fucking wording to make it sound more natural. And I know that other translation teams managed to inject some more nuance into the story - the French translation actually managed to call Rauru on his imperialist bullshit! For the throne room scene, they had Ganon refer to Rauru with 'vous', the formal form of 'you', but Rauru refers to Ganon with 'tu', the informal form of 'you'. 'Tu' is for use in casual settings or between friends, and if someone is using 'vous' for you, referring to them with 'tu' is a MASSIVE insult; it's very condescending, and implies that you have literally no respect for that person whatsoever, but they should continue treating you as a figure of great authority. To sort of translate that into an English equivalent, it'd be like if Ganon walked into that scene using formal language and referring to Rauru as a fellow King, and Rauru responded by treating Ganon like a small, dumb child. Hugely insulting. Also the vous/tu disparity has a History with French colonialism, so that adds some implications as to what Hyrule's really doing with their 'allies'. And in the scene where Ganon takes the secret stone, the French translation has him say Rauru tried to force him to submit, which is an outright accusation of imperialism (as opposed to the English saying Rauru wanted to control Ganon, which suggests the problem was Rauru thinking he could find a peaceful solution instead of just executing a foreign leader for thought crimes)

So the english translation definitely had the room to put some more nuance into things if the team had wanted to; honestly I kind of wish I knew Japanese so I could compare it to the original script and see if any of the problems I've been bitching about were part of the script from the start, or if the English translators were just particularly bad. But Nintendo is a very conservative company, and Japan is a very conservative country with a serious nationalism problem, so I kind of doubt it, especially since the game portrays Hyrule pretty much the exact same way that Japan is portrayed in propaganda justifying their own imperialism. That... does not suggest the English team went apeshit. That suggests that the awful shit was in the script from the start, and the English team was just totally on board with it.

As for the writing teams... I mean, to be fair it's been like seven years, of course the writing team isn't the exact same as BOTW. But honestly, the main issue is just that they've recycled a lot of old problems from the Zelda games, and somehow stripped them of what little nuance they had before. Like, Ganondorf trying to take over Hyrule because Evil has been an issue since Ocarina of Time (which this game was clearly heavily pulling from), but even though OoT never told us he had a deeper motive, the worldbuilding still showed exactly why he would have such an issue with Hyrule. We knew there had been a bloody civil war only about a decade before Ganon's takeover, we knew that the Gerudo were treated with disdain by Hyrule, and we saw that Hyrule's alliances with the Gorons and Zora were pretty flimsy, and neither race felt like Hyrule actually gave a damn about them. But most importantly of all, OoT gave us the Shadow Temple, a horrific prison meant to inflict unspeakable torture on its captives... all on orders from the Hylian royal family. Hyrule's hands were never clean. We weren't supposed to side with Ganon in OoT, but we were shown a long list of reasons for why he was so pissed off.

Someone else said that TOTK feels like a retelling of OoT that's just pro-Hyrule propaganda, and that's a pretty good summary. I don't know what the fuck Nintendo was thinking, but honestly it kind of seems like they're trying to stick to the formula of Zelda games at all costs, while also making the entire game just a huge 'gotcha' to all the fans that have spent the last 25 years seeing Ganondorf as a sympathetic character with depth and reasonable motivations. I find it ironic that they decided to include the Wind Waker boomerang and shield in the game, considering that the whole game feels like an attempt to get everyone to forget Wind Waker ever happened. That's still the most human we've ever gotten to see Ganondorf - he didn't have many lines in that game, but the ones he did have mattered. At the end of the day, WW Ganondorf wanted to have a better life for his people, and he knew Hyrule would never let that happen. But now apparently Ganon just wants to dropkick puppies into woodchippers, and he doesn't give the slightest hint of a fuck about trying to wipe out the Gerudo people entirely by attacking them with an endless sandstorm plus zombie apocalypse. His only character trait is Evil.

If I want to get really cynical for a minute here, I think it's basically just a cash grab. If your game prompts a moral debate, then it can offend people, which means they won't want to give you money for it. But if it's a simple black and white conflict with no nuance, the fans will love all the right characters in the right way, and everyone will love hyrule and want to see more of it! It's like the fucking MCU; they're not willing to tell a fresh story, or make any serious commentary. They just want something safe and formulaic that has been statistically proven to make money. Fucking cowards.

[adobe-outdesign]

Have you reviewed the snorunt line? Froslass is my face

I already reviewed Froslass over here, but as for the rest of the line:

Snorunt's probably one of my favorite ice-types. It's cute, it's unique, it has a great design, and it even has a great shiny (that I was lucky enough to catch in PLA).

The inspiration behind this one might be a bit obtuse to American audiences, but it's based off a yukinko (a yokai that appears during snow and wears a yuki mino, which is a conical snow coat). It also has a few elements of a zashiki-warashi mixed in there with the whole "bringing fortunes to homes" thing:

Visually, its one of our only triangular Pokemon, and this alone makes it pretty distinctive. The blue eyes pop nicely and help to indicate its ice typing, and the black body draws attention to the middle of the design where the face is. Said black also contrasts nicely with the yellow and orange accents of the straw coat. The back, meanwhile, has a few diamonds on it that reflect the triangular shape. It's simple, it's unique, the theme is clear, and the colors are great. A winner in my book.

I hear a lot of people say that Glalie doesn't look anything like Snorunt, but I actually see a lot of similarities, They're both shapes, just with Glalie being a circle instead of a triangle. They both have blue eyes and the same style of mouth. Their bodies are both black (Glalie's 'dex stating its body is made of rock covered in ice), and both have inlaid faces. Obviously the shape and color scheme are drastically different, but it's not like they have nothing in common.

Visually, Glalie isn't bad, though I don't like it quite as much as Snorunt. Instead of a yukinko it's now more oni-esq, sporting horns and looking more like a floating snowball or hailstone. It's honestly kind of low-key terrifying, not helped by the 'dex casually mentioning how it freezes prey solid and then eats the frozen corpse. Lovely.

Visually, the blue eyes pop and the white contrasts nicely with the black accents. However, I do find myself missing Snorunt's lovely colors; I could easily see the eyes here being white and the body blue instead, which would still look icy while keeping some color in there. I'm also not as big on the holes in the body; there's a few too many of them and it clutters the design a bit compared to Snorunt just having one hole in the front. I think I prefer Froslass to it overall even if it doesn't match Snorunt as much as an evo, but Glalie is fine for what it is.

Finally, we have Mega Glalie. Right off the bat, it fixes the color issue I had by showing ice peaking through the horns on the head, of which it now possesses three (with the new one coming out of the hole regular Glalie has above its eyes, which is nice continuity). It also adds red pupils and cuts down on the amount of holes; all welcome changes.

Probably the most notable thing about it is that its jaw is completely broken and just hangs open all the time, casually spilling out freezing cold air. The 'dex makes this sound more like an annoyance than a major problem for it, but it still takes Glalie's creepiness and cranks it up to ten.

However, the jaw is where it starts to loose me a bit. The bottom teeth look 2-dimensional and out of place, and having the entire jaw be so spiky makes the design look more cluttered than it really is. I also don't love the entire jaw being black; it overtakes the face area a bit too much (I guess it's supposed to look like an oni beard? maybe??). It also adds two white... things, which don't add anything to the design.

I like the overall direction of this thing and the upper half looks pretty dang good, but the bottom half doesn't hit as well. If they dropped the bottom teeth (maybe give it a pattern that makes it interlock with the above jaw to emphasize the broken idea), smoothed out the jaw and made it more white, and made those two pointy things at the bottom black "reflections" of the horns up top, that might've worked. As is, it's an interesting take, but a relatively poor execution, and is probably the weakest design out of the four.

Overall, I really enjoy Snorunt and think it's a pretty perfect design. Glalie is a fun monster but doesn't have quite as solid of a design, and the mega's a bit too incoherent to really improve upon the original. As a whole, while the line could stand to be more coherent, I like these weird as hell snow creatures and wish them the best of luck in their people-eating ways.

[studentofetherium]

at risk of sounding like one of Those people but if someone did want to look into actual mecha media, what are some good shows to watch? Like I know NGE is the one mecha that everyone is supposed to watch, and ik gundam is the other big franchise but as well as those what are some other things to look into?

you need to understand how i felt when i opened my notifications and saw this

i did a post about this before but if you haven't seen that:

Eva is a good place to start! it's conventional in a lot of ways but also does its own things. but, importantly, it's just good. like it can be subversive at times but importantly it's just a really high quality show. huge fan, the Rebuilds are also great

i don't have a ton of Gundam experience but the first one is a solid place to start and i liked what i saw of IBO and 00

if you watched Eva and thought "this was good, but i wish it was worse and also made by the Tenchi Muyo guy" then you absolutely need to check out Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure

Patlabor! Patlabor is a great time. a much more lowkey mech show compared to the space opera stuff that gets most popular which really gives it a unique appeal. it's a long franchise but it has a lot of places you can start, since the movies are standalone, plus the OVAs, plus the TV series

ID-0 is an obscure old seasonal but it has an important place in my heart for the enduring CGI

Neo Ranga is a show i haven't finished but what ive seen of it is cool. really distinct visuals and all that

Mazinger Z isn't something i loved but it's solidly alright and also a massive influence on the genre so you can't go wrong there

[gaywatch]

I need more music to listen, so unleash your reccomendations

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh dear I never get to talk about music enough so pardon me if I explode all over you

(Links are to songs that are both faves and good places for a newcomer to start.)

Taylor Swift - Yeah yeah she's a household name but no kidding, she has 10 albums spanning several genres and I can guarantee you that she has at least some songs that you will permanently add to your rotation. Google around for a good place to start and dive in (...or just ask me because I will gladly help you out).

Taemin - He's been known as 'the Michael Jackson of kpop' for years now, but what's wild is that he started at Michael and has since grown into a dancer and performer all his own. The only kpop artist I fully stan. His singles never. ever. miss.

Delta Rae - Incredible folk/country/Americana band from the state I live in with male and female vocalists. They are criminally underrated because they were liberal country artists before that was even remotely possible. Seen them live twice, met them twice, they are the most genuine people and outstanding artists.

Amanda Palmer - Originated as The Dresden Dolls, a duo that invented the 'punk cabaret' indie subgenre, and has been a solo artist for like 15 years at this point? Intense piano, intense lyrics, intense everything (the linked song is the anthem for girls with daddy issues). Objectively the most personal lyrics I've ever heard. Voice may take a second to adjust to. Not made for mainstream and doesn't want to be. One of the most important artists to me, personally.

Marianas Trench - Pop/punk perfection (but also simply genre chameleons) with a musical mastermind at its core. One of the best vocalists. Most albums end with an opus arrangement of the songs that came before and it's life changing.

Pink - People don't realize how powerful her vocals are and how incredible her lyricism can be. A pop icon. This bitch raised me, forever grateful.

Halsey - If all you know is Without Me and Closer, you haven't heard Halsey. Every album is outstanding but hopeless fountain kingdom doesn't have a single misplaced sound. It's pretty freakish actually.

Chvrches - Sheer and utter synthpop perfection, every single song. The one I linked is one of my favorite songs of all time, period.

MUNA - Queer girls making queer indie pop. Great lyrics, immaculate vibes. Recently opened for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour, and well deserved.

The Midnight - 80s/90s synth like you can't even believe. Saxophone for days.

Imogen Heap - A genius and pop legend. Her greatest song was sampled in something god awful and got meme-d to death, I don't wanna talk about it. If a pop artist does breathy vocals, 95% chance they're doing it because of Imogen. She sang me happy birthday. Haven't been alive since.

Rina Sawayama - THIS BITCH. Falls under pop but never met a genre she couldn't master. Stayed in the game into her late twenties (which is geriatric by pop standards), when she finally blew up a bit. A variety of sounds, some of them strange, but all of them brilliant in one way or another (even if you don't personally vibe with it).

Troye Sivan - Twink icon whose first two albums were as gay as they were pop brilliance. I don't care much for his newest work, but you might.

Alice Merton - She's the girl with that Roots song from a few years back. Two albums now, both genius. Unique voice, varied sound but with a distinct Florence oomph to it.

Ava Max - UN. DER. RATE. D. Classic, anthemic pop. Vocals for DAYS. Music so infectious you have it on loop for days. So much more than Sweet but Psycho.

Kesha - I prefer recent Kesha to her classic dance pop madness, personally. She grew into an amazing artist who can blend her weird ass dance flavor with her more mature sounds in a way that doesn't really seem possible.

Bishop Briggs - Nobody has a voice like this. A sort pop/alternative vibe that can be anthemic as easily as it can be dark.

The Chicks - Icons for a reason. Their most recent album, written by the main lyricist after leaving her husband of 20 years for cheating on her left right and sideways, is one of the best break up albums of all time. Period.

The Civil Wars - They only lasted long enough to make two albums, but both are flawless. Nobody will ever harmonize quite like them. Folk/country in the most *beautiful* way possible.

Evanescence - 2000s rock with with a stunning female writer and vocalist whose melodies are simply beyond compare when we're talking about their stuff from 2003-2006. Goth, dramatic, hard hitting, cathartic.

Freya Ridings - Adele but make it a touch more contemporary. Gorgeous deep voice, lots of ballads but her up tempo stuff is just as good.

Billie Eilish - If you haven't heard her first album yet or her early EPs, you need to. Nobody that young should have that much of a grasp of music and her place in it.

Foxes - Underrated pop queen! I have yet to hear a bad song from her, but her latest album is quintessential synthpop mastery.

Jukebox the Ghost - Piano pop/rock. It's actually too much fun to listen to them, tbh.

Kelly Clarkson - Listen, her latest album follows directly after The Chicks' on the string of ultimate divorce albums we've gotten from pop icons lately. I've loved Kelly forever, but in bits and pieces. Her latest album is her strongest project to date, easily.

Labrinth - I do not comprehend what this genius does with music. Electronic, experimental, metaphorical, personal, just something else. Did the music for Euphoria, but his first solo album was an experience and a half.

Lorde - Everybody tells you to listen to Melodrama because you should.

Maisie Peters - Everybody calls everybody else 'the next Taylor Swift,' and they're wrong. It's this girl.

Marina and the Diamonds - SUCH a unique voice, lyrics that are way too smart for mainstream pop.

Patrick Wolfe - A deep-voiced violinist who released a pop album in 2011 that I still listen to because I'm a sucker for pop laced with classical instruments and it's just that good.

Owen Pallett - A higher-toned violinist with more of an indie approach, coming up with concepts and melodies that would go well with an A24 film.

Emilie Autumn - Violin-fueled industrial/pop/metal, often with Victorian leanings. Visceral lyrics on mental illness, depression, bipolar, suicidal ideation, sexual assault, sometimes with a satirical bent or through a historical lens. Voice might take a second to get used to, it's unique and she does unique things with it (including "ugly" sounds on purpose) but once it clicks it clicks hard. Opheliac and Fight Like A Girl are good starting places.

The Veronicas - Underrated (yet oddly influential?) pop icon twins from the early 2000s to now. Killer voices, KILLER pop.

[peemanne]

pee-man yakuza ost review: Kiwami 1 (IT MEANS EXTREME!!)

So since I did a little write-up on the original game's OST and I thought it'd be fun to do it with Kiwami's soundtrack, since I got the original's soundtrack fresh in my mind, and because I haven't actually played the Kiwamis yet. (i've been playing these games in the world's jankiest order don't question it).

So here we are! Since it's my first time fully listening to this, I decided to make this write up a little more complete. And by little more, I mean I wrote about just about every track available to me. Whoops.

I wrote and listened to this over the course of 3 nights, so I'll mark the "sessions" as such if you're curious. I'll also have hyperlinks to all the tracks in their titles for convenience.

This is gonna be a very subjective thing, and I'm gonna make a LOT of comparisons to the original work. I'm sure at least some of my opinions would change if I actually played them in their original, specifically Kiwami context, but for now, here are my thoughts on Yakuza Kiwami's soundtrack. (i don't think there are any major spoilers for most of this post!! though i'll be using a pastebin to talk about the final boss theme so keep that in mind)

it means extreme by the way

Session 1 Receive You Reborn

DUDE. 

I love this rendition so much. The revamped, heavy drums. The heavy guitar. THE VOCALIST. I can’t even understand Japanese but they add so so much to the track. I still haven’t played Kiwami myself but I know for a fact this ended up getting cut from the english release because of licensing funnies, and that just sucks, because this song ROCKS. A more than worthy rendition of the original, iconic theme. The lyrics actually make the song reflect into Nishiki instead of the original reflecting to Kiryu, which is just amazing. The lack of the “ROLLING EYES FALL” choir stings a little, sure, but it’s gonna take a lot more than that to take this track down. It’s so good. 

極龍の嘶き+ 極龍の胎動 (Roar of the Dragon Redux):

I’m assuming this is the main menu theme, and it’s pretty good at conveying the mood and atmosphere for the story, I feel. It’s quite the haunting melody, and I love those sirens at the very start, referencing the opening scene with Kiryu getting arrested. Pretty cooooooooool. 

Renewed Unrest:  (Remake of Unrest)

ok but listen to that bassline though. mmmmmmmm. 

The original Unrest track is one I’ll definitely remember: Yakuza 1’s atmosphere was one of its greatest strengths in my eyes, and that panic track solidified that a lot during those tense moments in the story. This remake is really good! It still has the strong atmospheric sound of the original, while giving it more instruments to work with. It tells you there’s danger right around the corner, but you don’t know when it’s gonna jump. 

迫 (Urgency): I think this is a blow to the city remake? I’m not confident in saying that. But hey, it’s another good, more tense panic theme. Not much to really say here, but I still like it. They use some unique instruments here (my dumbass only really noticed towards the end) and I think they’re awesome and add a lot to the (obvious) urgency of the track. 

Funk Goes On 極:

Kiwami!! It means extreme!! This is probably one of the more famous tracks in like… the whole series. I’m pretty sure most of its success is because of Majima Everywhere funnies. Anyways, I think the original wins out here, but Kiwami isn't bad at all. It’s definitely faster paced: whether or not you think that’s a good thing is up to preference, but it does make a distinction between the two. I’m much more preferable to the original’s rocky jazz. It feels more effortlessly badass, y’know? The techno in Kiwami isn’t bad, sure, but I feel it just lacks some of the punch the original had. 

Flirt With Bomb: (Remake of son of a gun)

Look how they massacred my boy… My son of a gun (2006)...

Alright, I’m not really being fair with this one, but I just vastly prefer the original. Still though, this is a solid track in its own right. It still gets the hype going, and I just love the buildup at the start. I like how they handled the techno here more than they did Funk Goes On Kiwami, honestly. But again, I just like son of a gun more. Like, way more. I’m getting sad just thinking about it. 

Scarlet Scar by Fierce Tiger: (Remake of Scarlet Scar)

Pretty sick, actually! I feel like this matches the original’s energy much more than the last two battle themes did. They even kept the original samples with unintelligible mouth noises and stuff!! And you gotta love those Y1 sirens, I love it when the tracks add that in. The original still feels like the heavier of the two, but this one still stands as an aggressive, raw track to match the Shimano Family’s brutishness. It's a bop either way, that's for sure.

Ideal For Violence: (Remake of Intelligence For Violence)

HELL YEAH DUDE!! 

I ADORE this track. I love the guitars. I love the little “YEAH YO!” at the start. I love those crass, vaguely drug-related (probably) unintelligible English vocals, and those guys yelling “YO! YO! YO!” with him. AND THAT SAX. That sax has been stuck in my mind for so long. I like the original Intelligence For Violence, sure, but Ideal is just amazing to me. Why does RGG keep giving Shindo the coolest tracks ever? Hell if I know, but I’m so glad this exists because of it.

Session 2

Get Over It

First completely original song I’m pretty sure, and comments are saying it’s the generic long battle theme. And I think it’s a pretty solid track! It does a good job at setting up the stakes and some of the tragedy of Y1’s fights, and again, I like some of those unique instruments they use. It’s almost trance-like in some sections. And that guitar section in the middle: that’s what really makes the track. It reminds me a lot of Solitude and that atmosphere of that track, and considering that’s one of my absolute favorite tracks in the series, that’s pretty high praise. It sounds dream-like, but still tense as hell and it really gets the blood pumping that way.

キワメシトキ (no translation sorry :C)

Apparently this is the theme for some prototype Extreme Heat/EX Boost/Install Super/Devil Trigger thing in Kiwami? Anyways, not really much to say here. The drums feel heavy I guess, but there’s just not much to this. Can’t imagine hearing it repeatedly either without getting at least somewhat annoyed at it. Meh. 

The End of the Dogma: (Remake of End of the Drama)

Alright, I’m feeling this one! I really like how they handled the techno here: the original feel can still definitely be felt strong, while still allowing it to crank it up a notch and be its own thing. The original still feels more raw, which honestly applies to almost all of the remakes, but this one hits hard in its own right. It’s those triple echoes, man. The WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH. I dig this one quite a bit! I’d personally put it on-par with the original. 

Pray Me ~Revive~:

they removed most of the unintelligible rap parts 0/10 remake

Look, I can excuse some songs just now quite matching the energy of the original, but I’m just not really on board with Revive. Of all the tracks in the original, Pray Me was probably the rawest sounding, angry track, and Revive tries to match it, but it just… doesn’t do it for me. There are some parts to like, of course: the more orchestral sounding sections near the end are pretty cool. But like…man. I just can’t help but feel a little let down by this one. It should feel like it’s more energetic, but it really doesn’t. It’s honestly not that bad, but compared to the original, it just can’t stand on its own. 

Receive You the madtype: (Remake of Receive You the Prototype)

CONFESSION: This is my least favorite of the Majima themes. There’s just something about it to me that I can’t really put my finger on. It just feels like it’s lacking something. Maybe Hyperactive and Subtype just spoiled me in regards to the more techno themes, I don’t know. It’s still good, don’t get me wrong, it’s probably one of the better tracks out of the OST so far, but man. I’m sorry I can’t explain it, I really am, but it just feels off to me. Cannot emphasize this enough, it’s still an actually pretty damn good song, but it’s just not for me personally with the competition it has to stand up to. Maybe I’ll warm up to it the more I listen to it like I did with Subtype, but for now, I think it’s the weakest Majima theme.

Virtical Point: (Remake of Turning Point)

I don’t know why they named it like that with the typo. Anyways, Turning Point is probably my favorite track in the original game, so I also walked into this one with pretty high expectations. And after listening to it, I honestly can’t really compare the two. But I can say I did quite like the track. I can feel the sorrow and the overall mood of the original more, but this one is literally just rave music. And I like Yakuza’s literally just rave music tracks, so… 

I can’t really say how much this would fit the big fight it plays in, because again, I haven't actually played the Kiwamis. But as a track, Virtical Point’s a hell of a vibe. I’m not saying it's completely devoid of that feeling the original had, the build-up sections are amazing, but I feel like they trade some of that for just pure techno blast. And I love those drops with the “FEEL THE FORCE” and “FEEL THE POWER''s. I’m glad this is probably what led them to create Rake Your Inside, which is very awesome and cool and swag.

End Point still better though don’t @ me 

Ogre Has Reborn: (Remake of Ogre Has Returned)

Don’t really know if this is gonna surprise anyone, but this is actually a remake of a Yakuza 3 track! Lau just used the generic boss theme in the original game. 

Anyways, this track’s interesting, because it sounds more… triumphant, more than anything? It’s really badass in a pretty unique way in that aspect. The first half conveys the intimidation part well, but the second half just sounds amazing. The original track does that too, and honestly I think it sounds better there, but here it feels more refined and even graceful. I dig the little Chinese motifs too, of course. Pretty dope track overall. It’s all ogre now.

The Wicked:

Another original track, and I can probably appreciate this one more than usual because I don’t have the nightmares it seems to be associated with. 

I quite like this one! Like the last track, it feels triumphant: it’s one last, herculean push to the finish line. The piano and string sections convey that really well, but it still exposes the wickedness of the other side. It still feels menacing, like evil itself. The choir actually fulfills both roles perfectly, too. The techno doesn’t feel too overbearing either, which can be a bit of a problem with the OST at times. 

Cool song that I’ll be glad to remember just as a cool song and not whatever nightmare boss fight Kiwami players had to sit through. 

Final Boss Theme pastebin: (spoilers, obviously)

Lunatic Warrior (Remake of Fiercest Warrior from Ishin!)WHERE’S THE “afloi” AT THE START????

Anyways, pretty cool track. It’s against some VERY stiff competition to me (I adore the Amon themes), and while I don’t think it’s quite as good as they are, this one still slaps. This is Kiryu and Amon’s (technically) first meeting, and it makes sense that it wouldn’t really be as menacing as stuff like K2’s Fiercest Warrior, for example. The main melody’s catchy and the choir remains amazing. And while it’s not AS menacing as some other Fiercest Warriors, it still fits that quota pretty well. This track has a lot of energy to it, which I appreciate. Plus they got the sirens back. I love the sirens. 

TAKUMI 2016 (Remake of TAKUMI 2009 from Yakuza 3)

I’ll have to admit that I wasn’t really a fan of the TAKUMI themes for a while, then I listened to 0’s again, and suddenly I think they’re awesome now. Anyways, this one’s definitely up there with 1988. This goes prettttyyyyyyyyy hard. I love the graceful mix of the traditional bits with the intense techno breaks: it makes for a pretty one-of-a-kind track while still being sick and feeling heavy. Pretty neat! 

Also it sounds like a song from one of the rhythm games I play (Rhythm Doctor) so it gets bonus points for reminding me of another game I really like. 

Amusing Octagon:

I knew this track from before this session because of a meme with Walter White complaining about not being able to play Yakuza Kiwami OST - 20 Amusing Octagon or something

It sounds like a Tekken track. Like, you could slap this onto some random character select screen and it’d probably fit perfectly. This hits pretty hard! It fits the colosseum vibe really well and just sounds great on top of that. It’s a fun track. Amusing, even. Maybe even Yakuza Kiwami OST - 20 Amusing Octagon or something

Session 3

Ruthless Octagon:

It’s a mean track. Ruthless, even. Maybe even uhhhhhh

I think Amusing’s the better Octagon here but this one’s decent too. I’m gonna assume this is what plays for final rounds, and it does a good job at conveying that last push feeling. It’s heavy, it gets the blood pumping, and again, fits the colosseum vibe like a glove. I've been told they used this for K2's colosseum too, and overall they made a pretty good choice for a track to bring back for it!

Set My Heart:

I have literally no idea what this plays for. It sounds like another character select screen to me. Anyways, really fun track! It’s short, sure, but it’s a funky little beat the whole time and doesn’t overstay its welcome. And I love those brass sections, making it even better. It’s just a short little vibe, and it doesn’t really need to be anything more than that. 

Everlasting Spirit:

This is randomly super catchy. Again, absolutely no idea what it plays for, but it’s a real earworm…

This sounds like something that would play while Kiryu busts a move with a completely straight face the whole time. I’d probably be dancing with him, too. Cool song! Gotta love that percussion. 

In a Dead Heat:

Now this one sounds like a customization menu theme for a racing game. Probably pocket circuit, if I’d have to guess. I really dig the guitar riffs they use here. It’s just a cool, short upbeat track to get you ready to very excitedly scream at toy cars. 

Beastie Beat:

so true beastie 

This one sounds really arcade-y, in a good way! It’s really fun and even feels a little nostalgic. Again, I dig the guitar riffs they use in this one. This definitely makes me want to very excitedly scream at toy cars. 

Smack In The Forest:

Sounds like a more intense version of the last track, like a final-lap scenario. It’s definitely more energetic and the guitar feels heavier. Something something scream at toy cars. Good track. I want to make out with pocket circuit fi

As a Memory:

I know for a FACT this plays in Yakuza 5. I can’t remember exactly when, but I’ve definitely heard it in there. Probably with Haruka. 

That aside, the track’s a little repetitive, but still pretty fun. It’s just a little something to maybe bop your head to for a few. I like the strong bassline throughout, it really adds a lot to the vibe. 

TONIGHT-restart from this night-【Full Spec Edition】:

I’m playing through 6 right now and I recently got to experience playing this song for the first time. You can’t do this to me RGG

It’s no secret Takaya Kuroda’s a great singer, but man… He really poured his soul out for this track. You can really just feel all the sorrow Kiryu’s had to bottle up. That chorus just hits so hard. 

those Y0 screenshots were a CHEAP SHOT AND YOU KNOW IT RGG. IT’S NOT FAIR DAMMIT 

意地桜 (Iji Sakura) 2000 [Full Spec Edition]:

I’ve listened to the Ishin version and I just like the more traditional, heartfelt ballad that one was, but this one just steers into a completely different direction and I just can’t dislike it for that. The instrumental is way more badass than it really has any right to be, lmao. This track makes me want to go outside and very angrily pluck out turnips from the ground. That chorus is just unbeatable in either version, and is very easily my favorite part of the song. Not really a karaoke song that I’ll be blasting on repeat, but it’s a pretty cool track nonetheless.

ばかみたい 哀愁 Baka Mitai ~Sorrow~ [Full Spec Edition]:

I had no idea Kiwami had a Baka Mitai remix! I was completely expecting to just skip this one because it’s… well, it’s Baka Mitai. Who in this community hasn’t heard it a million times? 

So it’s an acoustic cover with some strings slapped on there for good measure. I think the original still stands superior, but it’s still really neat that this gets to exist alongside it. It amplifies the sorrow a bit more (I mean I'd hope so from “Baka Mitai ~Sorrow~), and obviously Kuroda’s cover of Baka Mitai is legendary at this point. This was more or less destined to sound good no matter what, and again, it’s just really cool that this exists. 

Ishin spec still better though don’t @ me 

Moment de la Petite Sirene 刹那の人魚姫 (Heartbreak Mermaid) [Full Spec Edition]:

JAN! JAN! JAN! JAN!

This song caught me off-guard: it’s pretty damn good! I’m admittedly a sucker for this kind of music, and I honestly prefer this version to the original’s. It’s catchy, sounds a little nostalgic, and also has Spanish guitar. And Spanish guitar is always a win. The singer’s also pretty good, she really adds to the more laid back feeling this track has. It sounds like something I’d have blasting in my headphones while doing grocery shopping at 9AM. It just has that kind of vibe, I can’t really describe it in another way. 

ユーロde×3シャイン (x3 SHINE) [Full Spec Edition]:

Maybe a little too energetic for my tastes, I think the original does better here, but this isn’t a bad rendition. It’s just the chorus which is my problem, though. The original has such a memorable, fun chorus, but here it’s just not as strong. It might just be I find Yuki to be a way better vocalist, but eh. It feels like it loses itself a little with going all in with the energy. 

オトメタルmy life (Otometal my life) [Full Spec Edition]:

I love how split this track is. You got a guitar just FIGHTING FOR ITS LIFE in there, and Haruka just singing sweetly. No seriously, the instrumental’s so sick in this one. Haruka’s honestly a really good vocalist, and Kiryu just hyping his daughter up by putting his ALL into screaming for her is amazing as well. It’s so stupid, and it dedicates 100% effort to it anyways, and that results in this insane, fun karaoke song. Also completionists apparently hate this song for some reason, which I find very comedic. 

10/10. I thought it was “oatmeal” at first. Also made me forget this actually showed up in Yakuza 4 first. This one's cooler though

in conclusion and stuff

Overall, I'm pretty mixed on Kiwami's soundtrack. There are a couple of songs, while not bad, just don't really compare to the original. The techno direction isn't inherently bad (look at LJ, 0, LAD, those all have amazing music), but Kiwami can definitely go a little overboard with it, souring some songs.

That being said, Kiwami still has no shortage of just fantastic tracks. Ideal For Violence is literally the best thing ever, for example. The original tracks are pretty strong too, with Get Over It and The Wicked being tracks that really caught my attention. The karaoke selection's a nice little bonus too, basically being a remix selection, which is just fun.

Maybe I'd like Kiwami's soundtrack more if it didn't have to directly compare the whole thing to the original, but for what it's worth, I still think it has a very solid OST overall. RGG's composers are just on another level honestly

Since I had a lot of fun making this, I'll probably end up going wildly off-course for my original plan for these and just start doing full soundtrack write-ups. Oh well. I'll probably take a look at Kenzan's next, if that's the case. Until then, thanks for reading me ramble about video game osts for awhile :)

also i still promise i have swag please its not the only thing i listen to you have to believe me please don't leave pl

[xlii-60]

Hi, I have a rec! AJR -- they're an indie pop band that also went viral on TikTok some time ago, but I think they're more than fleeting fame via internet trends. They've got an experimental and distinct sound that I really enjoy.

Two essential albums, imo, are The Click (2017) and Neotheater (2019). A few individual songs that I'd recommend are I'm Not Famous, Come Hang Out, Next Up Forever, and Wow, I'm Not Crazy.

Have fun exploring!! :)

I had heard of AJR before now, I actually used to really like their song Bang! and used to listen to it a lot, mostly because I am one of those guys who grew up watching warrior cats MAPs and now imagine a brain animation of my OCs every time I hear a song that fits. But I haven't given them much of a listen beyond this!

I decided to check out the individual songs listed here first, saving the albums for the future so I can give them a full listen and maybe write a review for the whole thing.

(I wanted to include images like I do for full album reviews/misc bin, but couldn't find good ones that directly related to the songs mentioned. SAD)

AJR have been around for a little while, and I have heard a few of their songs on the radio and in various other places, like you mentioned, on TikTok, before I deleted it a few years ago. They're most known and most recognizable for their interesting musical style, with often bouncy, eclectic instrumentation that occasionally sounds a bit theater-y, often mixed with short vocal samples (like the song they, as far as I remember, got initially popular from, I'm Ready, which uses a Spongebob sample).

Listening to these songs was really interesting, because I feel that AJR has an interesting cohesion between tracks and albums that not all bands have. I think of these, my favorite was Come Hang Out, especially the delivery and melody of the verses. I'm Not Famous is one I've heard a few times but never gave a full listen to, and while I had heard Next Up Forever before, I was completely unfamiliar with Wow, I'm Not Crazy.

I think AJR is interesting because it feels like I can almost pinpoint some of the musical DNA that makes up their sound- it's a little 2010s P!ATD-y, a little twenty one pilotsish, which both make sense, considering when the band got popular and when a lot of their music was being recorded and came out. The music seems to hang onto a bit of the popular stuff from those eras, in a guess somewhere between 2014-2017, which I've never had a huge affinity for. I think AJR adds a fun quality with the samples and odd instrumental choices, and I enjoyed the choral opening to Next Up Forever as a bit of a palate cleanser, but overall I don't think they're a band I return to often. Lyrically, I think AJR relies maybe a tiny bit too much on themes of fame, I feel like every song I've heard from them includes at least a lyric or two about how much it sucks to either not be famous yet or to actually be famous, and I think they'd benefit a lot from a branching out into more unique topics with their catchy instrumental and melodic style.

I think mostly I definitely didn't have a bad time with these songs, though AJR is (somehow, considering some of its superficial similarities to the music I do like) just a little bit outside my taste bubble. Regardless, I'm glad that people do enjoy them and are able to find something to like in something that I don't enjoy as much!

[rjalker]

First of all, here's a purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), from the same plant this fruit came from. Not the same flower, though, since this flower just opened today, and I got that ripe fruit yesterday.

[ID: A photograph of a purple passionflower flower, hangong on a vine growing up a string trellis on a wooden fence. The flower is covered in lavender yellow tendrils which twist and curve, with a darker stripe of purple near the center before they turn white. The center of the flower where its reproductive parts are stands up above the tendrils, and has pale yellow parts doted with tiny red spots. The leaves are dark green, with three distinct lobes and rounded serrated edges. End ID.]

And here's what the leaves look like:

[ID: A photo of purple passionflower leaves on a vine above the grass. They leaves have three distinct lobes, with rounded-serrations along the edges, and alternate in a zig-zag pattern along the stem. At the base of the leaves are thin tendrils which are hanging down into the grass. End ID.]

This species gets its name from its purple flowers, rather than the fruit being purple. Nope, it stays green the whole time, you know it's ripe when it falls off.

You don't eat the skin (As far as IK, it could be edible, I'm going to find out), you just pull it open and eat the seeds and the flesh around them, like a pomegranate but not the most inconvenient thing you've ever eaten in your life.

Edit: Yes, you can eat the outside too!

You don't even need a knife. The skin is sort of papery and will just pull part. They're also super light weight, and you don't have to worry about bruising them unless you squashed it entirely flat lol.

These are sometimes called Maypop passionflower/passionfruit because, since they ripen to green and fall off, you're likely to step on them. They've got air inside them, so if you step on them they'll make a popping noise kind of like a balloon.

I tried to demonstrate that in the video I made but it just made a soft puffing sound instead lol. Camera shy I guess.

Also I just bothered to actually look up the scientific name for these sacs of fruit around the seeds, they're called arils!

[ID: Two photos. The first shows a white hand over a wooden bench holding a ripe purple passionflower fruit. The fruit fits in the palm of the hand, and has a light green, papery skin, with a short stem still attached to the top. Some indentations are visible on the surface. The next photo shows the fruit opened, revealing that the inside of the skin is white, with most of the space taken up by the pale yellow, transparent sacs of fruit, or arils, around the black seeds, which are visible inside them. And ID.]

Since this species is completely wild, each passionflower plant will produce uniquely flavored fruit, overall sharing general characteristics, but slightly different each time.

This fruit has a soft sweetness on the outside of each aril, followed by a slightly sour (in a good way, not a gross way)...maybe the word I'm looking for is tangy flavor when you bite down or squish it.

I don't really have anything to compare the main flavor to, since no other fruit I've eaten has tasted like this. It reminds me of candy. It's really freaking good, and has a mild aftertaste of the same flavor.

I ate the arils one at a time so I could make sure not to swallow the seeds, since we want to plant and grow every single one of them, but if you've already saved seeds, you can eat them too, just like with pomegranates.

If you're keeping them, the seeds can be planted at any time. They'll sprout when it's nice and warm.

These plants are native to eastern North America, reaching all the way down into Florida, and as far north as southern Pennsylvania, and over to eastern Oklahoma and Texas.

You can find a map of observations of them here on iNaturalist.org You can zoom in to see if there's any growing wild near you!

If you want to grow your own and there are wild ones near you, you can collect ripe fruit off the ground, eat the pulp off the seeds, and plant the seeds, or look around the ground by the wild plant, and see if there are any new stems popping up.

Purple passionflowers spread themselves naturally through root runners or root suckers, looking for more places to climb and grow.

This plant is a perennial, meaning it will come back year after year, as opposed to an annual, which only grows for one year before dying.

Each year the stems die back to the ground, where the roots will stay dormant over the winter months, before reemerging in late spring, and spending the summer growing.

If you find new stems popping up from a wild plant, especially if they're out in the open with nothing to climb, or where you know they will be mowed down, if you have a container to keep them in until they can be planted, (A zip lock bag with water or a wet paper towel, or a plastic bottle tall enough to fit the stem in will work) and little shovel or a stick, you can dig up these stems and transplant them where you want them to grow. Try to get as much of the rooty part of the stem as possible, which will be white or lighter green than above the surface.

Transplant directly into the ground, or a larger plant pot, as soon as possible, water it well, and try to keep it in the shade for the first few weeks, or tie a clear plastic bag, or plastic container over top to act as a greenhouse so it doesn't dry out. Or put it in an actual greenhouse if you have one.

Transplanting root suckers works best in spring, since it's not too hot yet, but can be done any time of the year as long as you take care of the clones and make sure they get enough water.

If your cutting is in a plant pot, once it starts actively growing again, you can transplant it to wherever you want it to go.

If you want to grow it in a plant pot, a five gallon bucket like they sell at Home Depot or Lowes, with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage, and some good, not absurdly heavy potting soil, will work great, and if you can get a bigger pot, even better! Just make sure you mulch it and give the vine something to climb!

A chain link fence, chicken wire, or even just string tired to a wooden fence will work, or if you've got some tall sunflowers or other sturdy plants, like a bush, it can climb those too!

This species, and other north-america native passionflowers, are also the host plant for at least six different species of butterflies, meaning the adults lay their eggs on the leaves, and the caterpillars eat the leaves (and sometimes the flower buds), which is another reason the plant grows so quickly.

If you see caterpillars on your plant, rejoice! You have provided a cradle for a native butterfly species!

If your plant is already established, continue to rejoice. It will be more than capable of bouncing back and growing new leaves to replace the ones the caterpillars eat.

If they are on a young cutting or seedling, you may want to gently move them to a stronger plant if you have one, which can include wild passionflowers if there are any in your immediate area!

So far I have seen gulf and variegated fritillary caterpillars, and zebra longwing caterpillars!

This photo shows a zebra longwing caterpillar (white) and gulf fritillary caterpillar (orange) sharing the leaf of a yellow passionflower:

[ID: A photo of the underside of a yellow passionflower leaf, behind held by the thumb and forefinger of a white hand. Two spiky caterpillars cling to the underside, both smaller than the thumbnail. On the left is a zebra longwing caterpillar, which is white with black spots and spikes. On the right is a gulf fritillary caterpillar, which is orange with black spikes and some darker stripes. End ID.]

Here's a variegated fritillary caterpillar:

[ID: A close up photo of a variegated frillary caterpillar on a purple passionflower plant. The caterpillar has a red body, black spikes, and black and white stripes of connected spots going up and down its body. Its face and legs are black, and it has two taller spikes above its hear. End ID.]

If your plant is very small, it may get all its leaves eaten, but it should grow them back after the caterpillars form their chrysalises. Just keep watering it like normal, assuming it's not raining every day. (For posterity, it's June 25th 2023 as I am typing this, and it's rained almost every single day for the last two weeks. There were literally thunderstorms seven days in a row.)

If you have the option, planting purple passionflower directly into the ground is the ideal, since this will let it spread further out through the root suckers, though as I said before, it can be grown in a five gallon bucket with no problem.

We had one growing in the ground in Pennsylvania, which flowered, and grew very big, but never formed fruit. I'm not sure if the bees weren't pollinating the flowers properly, or what, but all our plants in Georgia now, including a clone of the one we had in PA, are much happier and set fruit easily.

In Georgia, they can start forming flower buds in late March. Our earliest flowers so far were on April 28th, with fruits becoming noticeable in May. Each individual plant will be different, though, and their characteristics will likely change with your environment, so you'll have to keep track of when yours do what!

[thoughts-on-music-tm]

Top 10 Songs of 2021!!!!

When 2020 ended, I had hope for 2021. Music was one of the few parts of this year that actually delivered on that hope. From Lil Nas X asserting himself as more than a one hit wonder, to Taylor Swift solidifying herself as the musical voice of a generation, to Olivia Rodrigo carrying that torch to the next generation, this year had wonderful music all around. And of those wonderful songs, these were the 10 best:

If you want to listen to this list as a playlist, you can do that here.

Love You to Death - Fickle Friends

If CHVRCHES distilled synthpop this year, this song represents it in its rawest form. And still the most polished piece of music from this year. Killer synth riffs and funky guitar lines give this song the same feeling as nerves fading to euphoria. Few songs have such a distinct bite, no song sounds so dangerously fun.

I Love you, I hate You - Little Simz

Little Simz's Lush, Orchestral production provide a classy edge to her reflection upon her complicated relationship with her father. More than the pain he caused, this song showcases her growth in spite of his failings. The last verse could be written in philosophy texts about the nature of grace. She ends the song with all the genuine compassion and sincere disdain of a southerner saying Bless Your Heart: "I'm not forgivin' for you, man, I'm forgivin' for me."

Stand for myself - Yola

The album this comes on starts with the song Barely Alive. This song, which closes the album ends with an anthemic cry: I'm alive, alive, I'm alive / I used to be nothing, like you / I used to feel nothing like You, / Now I'm Alive, Alive, I'm Alive! This song lives in the same space in my mind as Aretha Franklin's Respect - they don't both just demand respect, they take it, and crush the men who would not give it to them in the process.

Jackie - Yves Tumor

Yves Tumor make music for pandemics. These past two years have created a unique sense of bitter longing for things that could have been and can no longer be. Jackie is that feeling, unleased in song form. In it, Yves tumor beg and claw for a lost love; in the music video, they fight with swords, and it ends with both their deaths. We've had music that has captured quarantine (looking at you Folklore), but when my grandchildren ask me what covid was like after the inital lockdowns, this is the song I'll show them.

Valentine - Snail Mail

Out of all these songs, this was the one I've sung the most. Every time I was alone in my room, every shower, every second no one was listening- "SO WHY'D YOU WANNA ERASE MEEEE??? DAAAAAAARLING VALENTIIIINE!!!!!!!!". If you made me choose my favorite 10 seconds of music this year, this chorus would be it in a heartbeat. The second best 10 seconds are in the verses- the pain and longing in her voice when she says, "You won't believe what just two months do / I'm older now, believe me, I adore you" are unmatched.

Afrique Victime - Mdou Moctar

Tuareg Rock. Pyschedelia. The best thing to happen to protest music since the 60's. Mdou Moctar's electrifying energy transcends linguistic and geographic barriers. Music like this brings the plight of the people of Niger to the world. If you take nothing else from this review, let it be this song. You will leave with a greater global awareness and broadened musical horizons.

Leave the Door Open - Silk Sonic

Smooth [smo͞oT͟H]

Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars have created a time machine and you cannot convince me otherwise. This song's groove, love, and retro-70s vibe are easily the highlight of any funk-enjoyer's year.

See also: Suave, Polished

All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault) (Extra Parenthesis Version) - Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is the artist of our generation, and this her crowning achievement. Most ten-minute songs have long instrumental sections, and that's not a bad thing. Most artists aren't Taylor and can't write cutting verse after cutting verse. This is the song to burn bridges to.

And Jake Gyllenhaal needs to give her dang scarf back!

THATS WHAT I WANT - Lil Nas X

I want... so many good things for Lil Nas X. His unabashedly gay anthems perfectly capture being young, reckless and in love. This song is no exception. Never has being painfully single sounded so good.

How Not To Drown - CHVRCHES

CHVRCHES have distilled synthpop down into its purest form. This song sounds like the water's rising with an energy that's hard to dismiss. Perfect music for an angry movie scene in the rain.

Honorable mentions

Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo

Spoiled Little Brat - underscores

Secrets (Your Fire) - Magdelena Bay

Thanks for reading and here's to a better 2022!

[famous-aces]

Sun Ra

Who: Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount)

What: Musician and Composer

Where: American (active largely in US)

When: May 22, 1914 - May 30, 1993

(Image Description: a black and white photo of Sun Ra from 1979. He is standing in front of a brick wall that has words spray painted on it, partially blocked by his body. Legible is the word "Sunshine" in huge letters, the "I" dotted with a character or starburst. It is written in such big letters the last few have to be reduced to keep them from running over onto the door. Also legible are the letters "L, A" but the rest of that word is behind Ra. Ra himself is a stern looking, dark-skinned black man, shown here from the chest up. He has a longish face, a smallish mouth and eyes, a broad nose, and a cleft chin. He has a very serious expression.  He is wearing a wool cap, dark on top with a paler ring at the hem. On top of the hat is a huge 3D sun, about the size of his face. Poking out of the sun are a bunch of shiny wires ending on either small stars or pingpong ball sized planets. On his body Ra wears a cape and below that a robe. The robe is made of two distinct materials, mostly something wrinkled or rough, but in the center over his chest is smooth black fabric with white polka dots on which a sun and the planet Saturn have been painted. End ID.) 

He said he was born on Saturn. He wore bright robes and elaborate hats. He was a creature of Ancient Egypt and the unknown future. He never wanted to sleep and never drank. He said his biography was a mystery.  He was very fond of mysteries. 

Sun Ra was also a jazz pianist, composer, and the leader of the Sun Ra Arkestra, a free-jazz big-band. He is also one of the fathers of Afrofuturism, but given the themes he embraced, the outfit, and the Saturn thing you may have guessed that. 

Ra became well known for his musical innovation and uniqueness of instrumentation as well as the drama that characterized his music and persona both on and off the stage. He was active in the jazz scene for roughly forty years from the late 1940s to the early 1990s and he always seemed to be at least a decade ahead in his trends.

Ra was always creating pieces that defied the common and brought together his many complexities of style.  In the 1950s, when he first became a band leader, he began incorporating electric piano (his instrument of choice), tympani, and flute, instruments then unheard of in jazz bands. He later would be among the first, if not the first, to introduce the synthesizer. In the 1960s he began incorporating improvisation into his compositions and became well known for his strange solos. And in the 1980s he integrated earlier works into his performances.

His flair for the dramatic was at its highest on stage where combining Ancient Egyptian and sci-fi themes in sets, dance, and costumes. His performances were huge and eclectic and energetic. As much a spectacle for the eyes as the ears. 

His best loved albums include SuperSonic Jazz (1957), Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy (1963), The Magic City (1966), Atlantis (1969), Astro Black (1972), Space is the Place (1973), Lanquidity (1978), Disco 3000 (1978), Sleeping Beauty (1979), Nuclear War (1982), and The Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab in Egypt (1983). There are best of albums like Sun Ra: Singles 1952-1991 (2016) and In the Orbit of Ra (2014). I don't know anything about jazz (free or otherwise) but I did like listening to his stuff, it is very cool and weird.

His personality was as exciting and strange as his music. He had an "equation" rather than a philosophy. Whatever he called it, his thinking was a very New Age, UFO Religion mindset although he was getting into these themes in the 1950s, well before those were popular. His personal equation combined many different sources with his own thoughts to find the path that, one biographer states, "leads beyond the stars." He drew heavily on Ancient Egyptian mythology and mysticism, channeling, black nationalism, Rosicrucianism, Kabbalah, Zen Buddhism, with a very heavy lean into Gnosticism. He frowned on most organized religions but was a highly spiritual being.  He was very much pro-civil rights but became disillusioned with the movement. Perhaps the most important things to him were outer space and music. He was always looking both to the distant past and far future.

His theories and equations were his own and explanations never gave a full picture. He took the role of eccentric teacher and apparently played the part well. He had many followers, especially among musicians. Overall, it seems, he embraced the strange and unknown and wore his identity with pride. He was queer and contentedly so.

He would not have been out of place today. Maybe he was from Saturn, but he could have easily been from the future.

(Image Description: the album art for Atlantis. It is all in yellows and purples.  It says "An Intergalactic Space Travel in Sound" on the top of the cover. Below that and on the left it says "Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra". To the right it says "Atlantis". Below that is shows an amorphous blob of eyeballs and flame.  End ID) 

Probable Orientation: Aroace 

He is another one that aphobes say cannot be ace because they like him too much. They like and respect him so he cannot be sexually abnormal. They can accept him as queer, but aroace is too far. There are many who now accept him to be asexual, but many others who hold fast to their aphobia. Those people constantly claim that he was a sexual entity of some kind despite Ra's own profession to being "nonsexual.".

His queerness was noted before his persona was formed. In 1943 after having a nervous breakdown his doctor accused him of being "psychopathic" and "sexually perverted" because of his being queer. The same doctor also professed Ra (then Blount) was "a well-educated colored intellectual," evidence that his "psychopathy" and "perversion" were rooted in queerness, not something actually wrong with his mental health.

Over the years he had close confidants among his Arkestra musicians and other musical professionals. These were some of the people he was closest to in the world and all of these relationships were platonic, seemingly none I would classify as queerplatonic.  All of these confidants noted there was never any romantic or sexual partners they knew of in his life but some have asserted either he was too busy, he just never talked about it/told them (unlikely because he was willing to discuss just about anything which will be highlighted in the quotes), or this was part of his self-denial (he never did drugs or drank and liked to Go Without). Some people in his life assumed Ra as gay (and allo). He was more interested in music than relationships and role as teacher rather than as sexual/romantic partner.

But most of his time was spent with music.  His music involved a lot of talk of love but it was always a larger concept than romantic love. Brotherhood, universal acceptance, things like that.

But this should not be debate. Again, he basically said he was asexual in that he literally said he was "nonsexual.". 

(Image Description: a color photo of Sun Ra in his costume from Space is the Place. He stands tall with his head tipped up, again serious faced. He has his arms crossed over his chest like a mummy. He is wearing red robes with yellow sleeves that go to the floor. He wears bracelets, rings, and gold shoulder pads. On his head he wears a huge tall headdress. It looks very similar to a pharaoh's crown. Part looks like the lower part of an Egyptian headdress, like the thing the Sphinx wears, and it is striped shiny gold and black.  Sitting high on his forehead is a gold and jeweled crown piece and on top of that going probably two feet or so above his head is a gold pronged structure with a gold orb in the middle of the prongs. End ID) 

“I don’t believe that something like that [asexuality] exists. Everybody has his or her sexual orientation, be it secret or open ... I don’t think I ever talked about his sex life, but I am pretty sure that he knew Fernando [Vargas, a sound engineer] and I were a gay couple. It made no difference for him, so he was not like a religious fundamentalist who would object to work with people like us, you know. He was just the kind of a guy, if Fernando was drinking wine, he wouldn’t have wine. I heard that none of the guys was ever using drugs. At least they didn’t do it in the studio, but we did have them sleeping overnight. He seemed to be with a pretty clean group.”

-Warren Allen Smith, studio owner and friend of Sun Ra's. (Despite not believing in it Smith basically points out that Ra could have been asexual. He never talked about his sex life, spent the night in a platonic group, Smith also mentioned in the same interview that Vargas and Ra would spend long nights alone just talking about music, that seemed to be what Ra wanted to do. To talk and philosophize.  It seems his sexlessness was not about being straight edge.)

"[Vargas was] a good gossip [who would] tell stories about the pope’s testicles." 

-Warren Allen Smith (he also describes Vargas as being "outgoing" and "unreservedly gay". The point here is that these men were close friends of Ra's.  And Ra was perfectly into this kind of discussion. Indeed he told Vargas and Smith about his own testicles, one of which was undescended. He was not afraid to be completely open about himself and his body.  He did not shy away from sex or sexuality, he just wasn't interested in it. It would be out of character for him to avoid talk about his sex life or bring around a romantic partner.)

"Sun Ra abolished sleep from his 'so-called life,' just as he had come to do without the distractions of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, women [sex]."

-John Szwed (Ra biographer in his book Space Is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra) 

"I have heard from Damon Choice and others that Sun Ra used to turn to his Arkestra and declare: Leaders will ask you to give up your lives for them, I ask only if you’ll give up your Death for me? Nothing that is essentially incorporated into human being – not sex, not Death, not religion, or money – nothing that we are or have been is beyond evaporation as our ontology catches up with our time." 

-Thomas Stanley (biographer in his book The Execution of Sun Ra) (In other words Ra saw sex as inessential to human nature)

"A gimmick."

-Sun Ra on sexual intercourse

“I have never been able to think of sex as a part of my life though I have tried to but just wasn’t interested.”

-Sun Ra (Nuff said)

(Image Description: a photo of Sun Ra at his keyboard. He is wearing a beaded headdress and shiny rainbow robes. He has his eyes shut, he looks calm, and he has his keyboard at a strange angle as he plays.  End ID) 

[itsadragonaesthetic]

Okay now that I have the brain capacity for this post, let's go down the list, shall we?

Bendire's Thrasher -> Polyglot Thrasher

Heard somewhere that these thrashers can learn some of the highest amounts of phrases of all singing birds in their lifetime. Therefore, the Polyglot Thrasher. They're also somewhat rare to see, so a cool name would make them sound like a cool find, because they are!

Harris's Hawk -> Desert Wolf Hawk

I am very mad at this bird's name. It's one of the coolest raptors in the Americas (in my personal opinion) and it's just named after some DUDE. We will not let that slide. I think Desert Wolf Hawk would be fitting because they are typically found in scrubby habitats (not exclusive to deserts, but they are very often seen here as well as in more arid areas of Mexico, Central, and South America) and they have extremely unique behavior. They hunt in packs. I've never been taught the specifics of their pack structure, but it seems to be female-dominance oriented and could be largely exclusive to family, much like wolves. Correct me if I'm wrong tho. The Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum has a pack of them and I love them very much.

Hammond's Flycatcher -> Petite-billed Flycatcher/Empid

I have no clue why this guy doesn't have a more descriptive name. It's actually somewhat distinct from its sister species for simply having the teeniest beak ever. You can pretty much ID this thing by bill size alone without ever hearing it if you stare at pictures of empids too long like I do. I also put "Flycatcher/Empid" because I kinda think it would be cool if everything in the Empidonax genus had a unique name. They're unique birds and giving them the common name "empid" would draw more attention to how unique they are. They are a horrible ID challenge, but that ID challenge is what makes them interesting. These guys are literally at the dawn of their speciation, and that's a special moment to be alive for. Sometimes I wonder what they will all be like a thousand years from now.

Literally anything named after Steller -> Stellar [name]

Steller's Sea Eagle, Steller's Jay, Steller's Sea Lion. C'mon, these are some STELLAR animals. Just name them that!

Gambel's Quail -> Mourning Quail

I'm often able to identify this quail by its somewhat sad-sounding call, which is a call they specifically make to their mates. It always makes me a little sad when I see one calling out for sometimes an hour or more with no response. It's quite cute nonetheless.

Lucy's Warbler -> Scrub Warbler

These guys are pretty common in Mesquite scrubland, and I don't even think I've seen one in any habitat that wasn't semi-open scrub. Mesquite Warbler was also an option, but I just think Scrub Warbler sounds better.

Anna's Hummingbird -> Opera Hummingbird

This bird has an actual melodious song, unlike almost every hummingbird, and it sings ALL THE TIME. It has one of the most distinct songs of all common American birds and I'm tired of pretending it doesn't. It may even be the ONLY hummingbird that sings??? Correct me if I'm wrong. I know many of them have display "songs" but this is the only hummingbird I know of that deliberately sits on a branch and sings through the day.

ALSO I think "Opera Hummingbird" is kind of a funny name.

This is all I have for now. Feel free to add on!

If you could rename a bird named after a person (ex: Steller's sea eagle, Wilson's warbler) or any animal with a possessive name for that matter, to any name that felt fitting to you, what would it be?

[thelocalshooter]

The Local Shooter Vs. Snick Foley

(LS) Hello welcome, and thank you for being part of a great come up, for the people who don’t know can you introduce yourself, what do you do and where are you from?

(SF) OMG thanks for having me guys! Nah all joking aside, I'm happy to be apart of this and appreciate the opportunity. For those who don't know me, I'm SNICK Foley; a rapper out of NYC by way of Far Rockaway in Queens. I've gone by other names in the past so some people know me as Stacks and the like, but we'll be here all day breaking down all the personas.

(LS) Being from New York I’m sure it wasn’t hard for you to find your influences but who were some main artist you grew up listening to?

(SF) Wow it's hard to narrow it down. I listened to alot of different artists from alot of different genres growing up because I always enjoyed looking into different techniques, stories, points of views and just general sounds. I think all of that plays a major role in my music because there's little nods and elements from all over that got embedded over time. Obviously I gravitated mostly towards hip hop and was a huge fan of acts like A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang, Outkast, Eminem, Nas, Kendrick, and DMX. I'm leaving out alot of people because there's just so many talented people I grew up on. For instance I didn't even mention Wayne or DOOM but DMX is definitely the most important musical influence to me. He not only mixed raw energy and emotion with his lyrics so his personality always shined through, but if you listened to one his albums there was so much variety in the styles throughout. You never got bored. There would be the slow bar heavy song, the fast paced party song, the love song, the personal song about what he was going through; it showed me that you don't have to just do one thing as a rapper and you can do whatever you’re feeling.

(LS) One of your tracks from “Sad Villain Noises” was recently played on the Kush America stream, what was the whole process behind that project?

(SF) Yeah that was "Nature Boy". Big shoutout to the whole Kush America family btw. Sad Villain Noises came together as just a quick collaborative effort between me and the homie KMY; incredible producer out in London. We had worked before in the past and had been talking for a while about doing a Madvillainy type of project where he provided all the beats and I provided all the vocals. He has a very distinct and unique style of beat making, as do I with rapping so we felt it provided something different than what you usually hear but isnt pigeonholed into any particular subgenre of hip hop. The whole project is only 7 songs over 15 minutes because it was more of a quick little sample of what we have planned. If you listening closely and in order there's a short story in there but we tried to make it so all the tracks could stand on their own.

(LS) How has being a artist in the New York underground scene been for you? Friendly competition or do you find it hard to interact with other local artist? Do you go out of your borough to seek more talent?

(SF) It's case by case really. NYC has long standing reputation of being cut throat and grimey so I'd be fronting if I said there aren't some difficulties in forming relationships with everyone. There's like 9 million people so it takes alot to stand out in that ocean and it breeds a certain isolationist mentality. That's a fact. That being said, I've still worked with some really talented artists out of NYC and I'm always about helping and growing with people from the city. There might be alot of competition between all of us but at the end of the day it's all love between people tryna make money in an occupation we all have a deep passion for. So I'm always gonna show love to my city and everyone from it. I always try to put on for NYC and represent it proudly whenever possible.

(LS) We see you posted an unofficial video on YouTube for AC-130, when are you thinking of doing an official video or even more visuals at that?

(SF) Yeah that was just a quick little placeholder while the actual video is in the works. I'm planning to do alot of visuals for the stuff that's already out and some things on the way. To bring it back, I know alot of dope videographers and directors based out of NYC and we have stuff either in post, or coming real soon so stay tuned on that.

(LS) As far as music what’s your main goal? Are you looking to to be eventually signed or are hoping to make it as a independent artist?

(SF) Personally I would prefer to stay independent. I was big early punk rock fan so the DIY do it yourself mentality is something I strongly adhere to. That's not to say the idea of getting signed doesn't have its merits and is worth looking into, but I'm more of the mindset to keep full control over the art. The goal is the just to make dope music. I think alot of people in pursuit of the money forget what they get into music for; which at the end of the day is just to express yourself. That's not to say don't get paid and try to maximize your profits cause that's dumb, but the whole joy of art is the fact you can get paid for your thoughts. Something you create. I'd be lying if I said one of my goals wasn't to be remembered as one of the greats tho. I put alot of work into continuously growing as an artist and the same way I was listing influences earlier, I don't know if there would be anything cooler than 20 years from now some kid naming theirs and drop SNICK Foley on their list.

(LS) Being On many major platforms and having a couple projects plus singles what’s the next plan, are you currently working on another tape or are you sitting on your recent drop hoping it gets a bit more buzz?

(SF) Nah I'm never just gonna sit. I try to stay working and evolving so there's always something new as far as music in the works. I'll let the buzz happen organically but I'm focused on continuing to drop music people enjoy listening to and I enjoy making. You're never done growing and there's always a new story to tell.

(LS) are you looking at touring anytime soon, and shows you having coming up where fans can build a personal connection with you?

(SF) Yeah that's definitely in the works. As more music rolls out there's gonna be more on that because as of now I'm keeping alot of that close to the hip. But most definitely there's shows upcoming for everyone to pull up to and come vibe with me. Stay tuned on that as well.

(LS) What’s your take on the NY music scene right now? With influences like Pop, Casanova, and the whole A$AP is there a specific direction you think it’s going in or is it open field?

(SF) First and foremost R.I.P Pop. It's crazy how many people we lose in hip hop before they get to fully reach their potential and hit their stride. As far as NY music goes, I think it's an open field. There's alot of really talented artists in the Apple with their own unique sound and I think it's a great look for the city and the culture as a whole. You had guys like Pop doing his own drill type of stuff, Dave East does his own thing, Young MA has her own thing, Beast Coast has their own thing, ASAP does their own thing and etc. I think NY in recent years has got too caught up in rekindling and defining a "NY sound" that they've gotten away from just making their own stuff. I think it's better when there's variety in the content so you have a large pool to choose from. I think everyone can exist in their own lane and collectively that's what the NY sound is.

(LS) Thank you again for being apart of a great come up and until next time is there anything we should be on the look out for this 2020? Any links you wanna add so new and old fans can reach your and listen to your work?

(SF) Again appreciate the opportunity. There's shows, videos, and music on the way this spring and there's BIG plans for this summer. You can listen to "25th and Seagirt" and some throwaways on soundcloud and "*sad villain noises* on Spotify, apple music and all other streaming platforms. All love to everyone that rocks with me and is on this road with me. I'm Snick Foley on all music platforms and on instagram @holdmysnick. I'm on Twitter as @snickfoleybb but I forget I have it most of time.

The Local Shooter Vs. Snick Foley

[symbianosgames]

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

For centuries, human beings made use of mediums such as literature, film and theater to communicate their beliefs and values in a stylish fashion and capture the attention of their audiences through the collective unconscious. This broad sharing of ideas through an imaginative filter, presentation,  represents an indispensable artistic component that extends to all artworks and shapes the way the participant perceives them. This same age-old concept also applies to an art form that, although young, embodies a complex and flexible design structure: video gaming.

In the early years of gaming, developers made use of multiple stock premises such as the Middle Ages (e.g. King's Quest) and the future (e.g. Metroid) to immerse the participant into the experience, with the medley of audiovisuals and interactivity making the otherwise commonplace themes seem somewhat fresh. As time went on and gaming generations came and went, designers  discovered new and inventive ways to craft the presentation of their games by leveraging new audiovisual technology and/or mixing & matching various themes for added memorability.

Today, video game production has become unequivocally more sophisticated and advanced, which means that designers are capable of crafting modern experiences that generally sport multilayered and unorthodox elements like Red Steel 2 and Valkyria Chronicles. But it seems that we have just scratched the presentational surface given that similar narratives, themes and audiovisual qualities get rehashed in a lot of titles. This is something that developers should quickly remedy if they are to advance our expansive medium and make their games more noteworthy.

As an  art form with the added benefit of interactivity, video gaming opens up innumerable avenues that invite presentational experimentation and make room for thematic and audiovisual novelty. This, along with a sound experience goal-setting and brainstorming process, enables designers to make full use of the various techniques, themes and references they have at their disposal to deliver matchless and profound games that can potentially be more creative and immersive than what can be achieved in other artistic and entertainment areas.

I'll elaborate on that topic by providing you with five tips and tricks to take into consideration when trying to enhance the presentation of your game and make it more distinct as a whole. For each piece of advice, I'll include an example of a game that gets that particular aspect right.

NOTE: The tips that I'm sharing with you may or may not be compatible with every game depending on the designer's philosophy and vision, but they serve as general guidelines that can benefit the virtual experience when well-implemented.

1-Enhance the identity of the title to make it distinctive

One of the first endeavors that developers have to undertake while coming up with the experience goal for their game is to ensure that the title boasts a prominent personality and soul that will greatly complement the gameplay and other design aspects of the overall package. This is important because identity serves as one of the critical components of memorability, and a game that lacks character can end up feeling ho-hum and forgettable, which aren't adjectives one would want to associate with their title if they're trying to stand out from the pack. Carving a unique persona requires embracing a particular theme and then baking it into every aspect of the game in creative ways that turn the experience into one that perpetually astounds the player.

Double Fine's Brutal Legend is a great example of a title whose presentation fully takes advantage of the tone it's going for in order to shape the personality of the experience and make it all the more special. The action-adventure/RTS hybrid enhances its heavy metal theme and tone to monolithic heights by combining it with the richness of Norse mythology and the fantastical undertones that metal album covers imply, a medley that is appropriately reflected in the colorful characters, the larger-than-life environments, and of course, the energetic soundtrack. The result is a game that oozes style and substance across all facets of the presentation and creatively pays tribute to its subject matter, making for a truly memorable and marvelous experience.

Like all artistic and entertainment works, video games act as a way for developers to express themselves through the content they implement into their title, and like human beings, games are capable of embodying a soul, one that's lovingly displayed throughout the length of the adventure. This is why it's important for designers to go to great lengths to ensure that what they want to depict is actually implemented in the game, and this goal can be accomplished by taking the time to shape and assemble the theme in various and imaginative ways. Perseverance can go an incredibly long way towards establishing a characteristic tone that drives the experience and harmonizes with the title's other design intricacies.

2-Leverage as many sources as possible

In addition to imbuing the experience with an eminent identity, the designers should also strongly consider making said identity idiosyncratic by looking at and utilizing sundry inspirations in order to amalgamate them into one cohesive whole. In fact, the broader the developers' pool of thematic influences, the more fresh ideas they'll be able to come up with, which in turn begets a rich presentational bedrock for memorable scenarios and interactions. Given that video games need to make a solid first impression to pull the player into the experience, taking the time to spice up the "reference salad" and make it more toothsome will greatly benefit the developers and their titles in the long run.

Eidos Montreal's Deus Ex: Human Revolution lucidly takes that presentational aspect seriously with its unique mix of elements that span multiple centuries but share a common and unified philosophy. In this action RPG, the player is dropped into a world where cybernetic augmentations serve as the main cause of social stratification. The ethics of transhumanism that permeate the game are punctuated by a prominent Renaissance theme and clever allegories to the Greek myths of Icarus and Daedalus that represent technological pace and class divisions. This amalgamation of historical references and futuristic themes allows Human Revolution to portray a multifaceted universe that is more than the sum of its intriguing parts.

Having an audiovisual presentation in your game that borrows from a wide array of real-life and fictional works can tremendously transform the experience and enable it to forge an identity of its own, making it all the more noticeable and distinct from other releases in the market and within the same genre. A game that fails to take that into consideration can end up drowning in the sea of cookie-cutter titles, which is  why designers should make the effort to take a careful look at what they want their title to convey and look/sound/feel like, and what the work-in-progress actually possesses. That way, they'll be able to tweak the presentation multiple times until they reach a sweet spot that provides a thematically varied and vivid experience.

3-Portray the experience in a stylish/creative fashion

Another way the designer can strengthen their title's presentation and turn the game into a creatively designed adventure is to depict the entire experience as something that transcends its video game nature. By that, I mean that developers ought to take a meticulous look at the style they're going for and figure out what they can do to portray it in the most faithful and inventive way possible. Not only can this endeavor enhance the other design elements that are heavily shaped by the experience goal, but it also ensures that the developers will be able to clearly and effectively illustrate the presentational qualities of their work to players and elevate the entire title beyond its "gamey" boundaries.

The Max Payne titles are reputed for their nifty and clever take on narrative and aesthetics, which can be attributed to their well-executed homage to film noir and graphic novels. The use of comic panel-style cutscenes (coupled with text and voice-overs) enhance the nuanced approach to storytelling, while the introspective monologues that Max delivers in and out of gameplay enable the player to become invested in the protagonist as he attempts to overcome his plights, in a way similar to that of neo-noir productions. When blended with the grim tone that is emblematic of Remedy's shooter series, the audiovisual presentation turns the gaming experience into one that gracefully channels several pop culture mediums to accentuate its style.

One of the amazing things about video games is that they possess attributes that are shared by many other mediums such as literature and film. This essentially means that gaming is capable of assuming multiple forms that can shape the experience without looking jarring or out-of-place. This is something that designers should keep in mind when brainstorming about ways to make their title look and feel distinctive. By understanding the core values/components of different art forms and expanding their knowledge of the topics/themes they wish to incorporate into their work, developers can craft presentationally and thematically riveting games that treat their structural influences with respect.

4-Maintain a consistent and smooth immersive flow 

Of course, designing a distinct and noteworthy presentation is just half the battle when it comes to creating an indelible and impeccable game. Preserving the audiovisual fidelity throughout the length of the experience is also an important goal that the designer should strive to accomplish in order to maximize the immersion factor. Whether it's sticking to a specific perspective/gameplay state (e.g. Half-Life) or building the environment in a way that feels connected and cohesive (e.g. Dark Souls) with little to no seams, a steady immersive flow ensures that the player will be sucked into the virtual experience and never be taken out of it by technical or audiovisual quirks that can distract from the elements that the designer painstakingly handcrafted.

2010's Limbo does an amazing job of immersing the gamer into the experience with its minimalistic and poignant presentation that manages to feel incredibly effective and smooth throughout the entirety of the adventure. The title's lack of loading times and "less is more" approach to aesthetics & audio enable the player to better absorb and appreciate the attention-to-detail strewn about the eerie environment without being taken out of the experience by audiovisual outliers such as technical bugs and incongruous assets. Limbo's seamless design and continuous structure allows the presentation to carry much of the abstract story's weight and fully engross the player in the arresting and nebulous journey to the point where they forget they're playing a game.

Immersion is one of video gaming's most vital and precious qualities. It allows the player to get fully involved into the virtual world's goings-on and become a part of it while they are exploring and interacting with it, which is why maintaining the consistency of the presentation is an endeavor that designers should undertake if they are to deliver a game that will linger in the minds of gamers long after they've completed the adventure. By figuring out how to build the title in a way that minimizes seams and weaves the sundry design elements that make up the package, developers will be able to create a game that feels smoothly contiguous in its structure and displays its thematic and audiovisual details in the best possible light.

5-Make the game world feel deep and expansive

If the developers want to go the extra mile and deliver an experience with a pronounced aura of virtual escapism, they can always prioritize one of the core aspects of a title's presentation: the game world. As the indispensable vessel for player interaction, the environment serves an incredibly valuable purpose that involves bedazzling the gamer with imaginative locales, compelling characters, and intriguing lore. By leveraging the presentational components that complement world-building, the developers can transplant all of the thematic references and ideas they garnered and came up with into the game environment in a way that makes them inseparable from the surroundings that the player will explore.

The Elder Scrolls games have developed a well-earned reputation for placing players in massive and detailed open-worlds that surprise them at every turn. The continent of Tamriel, which serves as the setting for all TES games, not only daunts the player with the size and scope of its provinces, but it also possesses an extensive backstory and array of personal tales that are forged into the sundry repositories that the player comes across (e.g. dungeons, books, cities...). All of these components serve to make each game in Bethesda's flagship franchise a truly otherworldly and epic experience that greatly benefits from the complexity and attention-to-detail that the designers incorporated into the physical environments and the overall universe.

Creating a virtual environment that is both audibly and visually marvelous to behold is something that the developer should strive to accomplish in order to enthrall players, but they should also consider imbuing said environment with a unique and interesting story that gives purpose and meaning to the various locations and inhabitants. This is where designers can truly take advantage of their intellect and knowledge to form a fictional universe with a potent sense of history and wonder that leaves plenty of room for exciting scenarios and interactions. A game world that is both enticing to explore and learn about ensures that the developers will be able to not only draw the player's attention, but to keep it for the duration of the journey as well.

Perhaps the biggest boon video games have as an interactive medium is that they are capable of utilizing their numerous components to craft a multilayered experience that enraptures players and holds their attention in the long run. This makes the presentation a component that designers should strongly prioritize (along with gameplay) during development in order to sustain the wondrous and novel nature of the journey. With the above pieces of advice that I've given, developers can leverage the sources and resources they have at their disposal and forge a title that, when equipped with recombinant creativity, can potentially offer to the gamer one of the most distinct and unforgettable experiences they'll ever play.

Let me know what you think of my article in the comments section, and feel free to ask me questions! I’ll do my best to get back to you as promptly as possible.

[symbianosgames]

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

For centuries, human beings made use of mediums such as literature, film and theater to communicate their beliefs and values in a stylish fashion and capture the attention of their audiences through the collective unconscious. This broad sharing of ideas through an imaginative filter, presentation,  represents an indispensable artistic component that extends to all artworks and shapes the way the participant perceives them. This same age-old concept also applies to an art form that, although young, embodies a complex and flexible design structure: video gaming.

In the early years of gaming, developers made use of multiple stock premises such as the Middle Ages (e.g. King's Quest) and the future (e.g. Metroid) to immerse the participant into the experience, with the medley of audiovisuals and interactivity making the otherwise commonplace themes seem somewhat fresh. As time went on and gaming generations came and went, designers  discovered new and inventive ways to craft the presentation of their games by leveraging new audiovisual technology and/or mixing & matching various themes for added memorability.

Today, video game production has become unequivocally more sophisticated and advanced, which means that designers are capable of crafting modern experiences that generally sport multilayered and unorthodox elements like Red Steel 2 and Valkyria Chronicles. But it seems that we have just scratched the presentational surface given that similar narratives, themes and audiovisual qualities get rehashed in a lot of titles. This is something that developers should quickly remedy if they are to advance our expansive medium and make their games more noteworthy.

As an  art form with the added benefit of interactivity, video gaming opens up innumerable avenues that invite presentational experimentation and make room for thematic and audiovisual novelty. This, along with a sound experience goal-setting and brainstorming process, enables designers to make full use of the various techniques, themes and references they have at their disposal to deliver matchless and profound games that can potentially be more creative and immersive than what can be achieved in other artistic and entertainment areas.

I'll elaborate on that topic by providing you with five tips and tricks to take into consideration when trying to enhance the presentation of your game and make it more distinct as a whole. For each piece of advice, I'll include an example of a game that gets that particular aspect right.

NOTE: The tips that I'm sharing with you may or may not be compatible with every game depending on the designer's philosophy and vision, but they serve as general guidelines that can benefit the virtual experience when well-implemented.

1-Enhance the identity of the title to make it distinctive

One of the first endeavors that developers have to undertake while coming up with the experience goal for their game is to ensure that the title boasts a prominent personality and soul that will greatly complement the gameplay and other design aspects of the overall package. This is important because identity serves as one of the critical components of memorability, and a game that lacks character can end up feeling ho-hum and forgettable, which aren't adjectives one would want to associate with their title if they're trying to stand out from the pack. Carving a unique persona requires embracing a particular theme and then baking it into every aspect of the game in creative ways that turn the experience into one that perpetually astounds the player.

Double Fine's Brutal Legend is a great example of a title whose presentation fully takes advantage of the tone it's going for in order to shape the personality of the experience and make it all the more special. The action-adventure/RTS hybrid enhances its heavy metal theme and tone to monolithic heights by combining it with the richness of Norse mythology and the fantastical undertones that metal album covers imply, a medley that is appropriately reflected in the colorful characters, the larger-than-life environments, and of course, the energetic soundtrack. The result is a game that oozes style and substance across all facets of the presentation and creatively pays tribute to its subject matter, making for a truly memorable and marvelous experience.

Like all artistic and entertainment works, video games act as a way for developers to express themselves through the content they implement into their title, and like human beings, games are capable of embodying a soul, one that's lovingly displayed throughout the length of the adventure. This is why it's important for designers to go to great lengths to ensure that what they want to depict is actually implemented in the game, and this goal can be accomplished by taking the time to shape and assemble the theme in various and imaginative ways. Perseverance can go an incredibly long way towards establishing a characteristic tone that drives the experience and harmonizes with the title's other design intricacies.

2-Leverage as many sources as possible

In addition to imbuing the experience with an eminent identity, the designers should also strongly consider making said identity idiosyncratic by looking at and utilizing sundry inspirations in order to amalgamate them into one cohesive whole. In fact, the broader the developers' pool of thematic influences, the more fresh ideas they'll be able to come up with, which in turn begets a rich presentational bedrock for memorable scenarios and interactions. Given that video games need to make a solid first impression to pull the player into the experience, taking the time to spice up the "reference salad" and make it more toothsome will greatly benefit the developers and their titles in the long run.

Eidos Montreal's Deus Ex: Human Revolution lucidly takes that presentational aspect seriously with its unique mix of elements that span multiple centuries but share a common and unified philosophy. In this action RPG, the player is dropped into a world where cybernetic augmentations serve as the main cause of social stratification. The ethics of transhumanism that permeate the game are punctuated by a prominent Renaissance theme and clever allegories to the Greek myths of Icarus and Daedalus that represent technological pace and class divisions. This amalgamation of historical references and futuristic themes allows Human Revolution to portray a multifaceted universe that is more than the sum of its intriguing parts.

Having an audiovisual presentation in your game that borrows from a wide array of real-life and fictional works can tremendously transform the experience and enable it to forge an identity of its own, making it all the more noticeable and distinct from other releases in the market and within the same genre. A game that fails to take that into consideration can end up drowning in the sea of cookie-cutter titles, which is  why designers should make the effort to take a careful look at what they want their title to convey and look/sound/feel like, and what the work-in-progress actually possesses. That way, they'll be able to tweak the presentation multiple times until they reach a sweet spot that provides a thematically varied and vivid experience.

3-Portray the experience in a stylish/creative fashion

Another way the designer can strengthen their title's presentation and turn the game into a creatively designed adventure is to depict the entire experience as something that transcends its video game nature. By that, I mean that developers ought to take a meticulous look at the style they're going for and figure out what they can do to portray it in the most faithful and inventive way possible. Not only can this endeavor enhance the other design elements that are heavily shaped by the experience goal, but it also ensures that the developers will be able to clearly and effectively illustrate the presentational qualities of their work to players and elevate the entire title beyond its "gamey" boundaries.

The Max Payne titles are reputed for their nifty and clever take on narrative and aesthetics, which can be attributed to their well-executed homage to film noir and graphic novels. The use of comic panel-style cutscenes (coupled with text and voice-overs) enhance the nuanced approach to storytelling, while the introspective monologues that Max delivers in and out of gameplay enable the player to become invested in the protagonist as he attempts to overcome his plights, in a way similar to that of neo-noir productions. When blended with the grim tone that is emblematic of Remedy's shooter series, the audiovisual presentation turns the gaming experience into one that gracefully channels several pop culture mediums to accentuate its style.

One of the amazing things about video games is that they possess attributes that are shared by many other mediums such as literature and film. This essentially means that gaming is capable of assuming multiple forms that can shape the experience without looking jarring or out-of-place. This is something that designers should keep in mind when brainstorming about ways to make their title look and feel distinctive. By understanding the core values/components of different art forms and expanding their knowledge of the topics/themes they wish to incorporate into their work, developers can craft presentationally and thematically riveting games that treat their structural influences with respect.

4-Maintain a consistent and smooth immersive flow 

Of course, designing a distinct and noteworthy presentation is just half the battle when it comes to creating an indelible and impeccable game. Preserving the audiovisual fidelity throughout the length of the experience is also an important goal that the designer should strive to accomplish in order to maximize the immersion factor. Whether it's sticking to a specific perspective/gameplay state (e.g. Half-Life) or building the environment in a way that feels connected and cohesive (e.g. Dark Souls) with little to no seams, a steady immersive flow ensures that the player will be sucked into the virtual experience and never be taken out of it by technical or audiovisual quirks that can distract from the elements that the designer painstakingly handcrafted.

2010's Limbo does an amazing job of immersing the gamer into the experience with its minimalistic and poignant presentation that manages to feel incredibly effective and smooth throughout the entirety of the adventure. The title's lack of loading times and "less is more" approach to aesthetics & audio enable the player to better absorb and appreciate the attention-to-detail strewn about the eerie environment without being taken out of the experience by audiovisual outliers such as technical bugs and incongruous assets. Limbo's seamless design and continuous structure allows the presentation to carry much of the abstract story's weight and fully engross the player in the arresting and nebulous journey to the point where they forget they're playing a game.

Immersion is one of video gaming's most vital and precious qualities. It allows the player to get fully involved into the virtual world's goings-on and become a part of it while they are exploring and interacting with it, which is why maintaining the consistency of the presentation is an endeavor that designers should undertake if they are to deliver a game that will linger in the minds of gamers long after they've completed the adventure. By figuring out how to build the title in a way that minimizes seams and weaves the sundry design elements that make up the package, developers will be able to create a game that feels smoothly contiguous in its structure and displays its thematic and audiovisual details in the best possible light.

5-Make the game world feel deep and expansive

If the developers want to go the extra mile and deliver an experience with a pronounced aura of virtual escapism, they can always prioritize one of the core aspects of a title's presentation: the game world. As the indispensable vessel for player interaction, the environment serves an incredibly valuable purpose that involves bedazzling the gamer with imaginative locales, compelling characters, and intriguing lore. By leveraging the presentational components that complement world-building, the developers can transplant all of the thematic references and ideas they garnered and came up with into the game environment in a way that makes them inseparable from the surroundings that the player will explore.

The Elder Scrolls games have developed a well-earned reputation for placing players in massive and detailed open-worlds that surprise them at every turn. The continent of Tamriel, which serves as the setting for all TES games, not only daunts the player with the size and scope of its provinces, but it also possesses an extensive backstory and array of personal tales that are forged into the sundry repositories that the player comes across (e.g. dungeons, books, cities...). All of these components serve to make each game in Bethesda's flagship franchise a truly otherworldly and epic experience that greatly benefits from the complexity and attention-to-detail that the designers incorporated into the physical environments and the overall universe.

Creating a virtual environment that is both audibly and visually marvelous to behold is something that the developer should strive to accomplish in order to enthrall players, but they should also consider imbuing said environment with a unique and interesting story that gives purpose and meaning to the various locations and inhabitants. This is where designers can truly take advantage of their intellect and knowledge to form a fictional universe with a potent sense of history and wonder that leaves plenty of room for exciting scenarios and interactions. A game world that is both enticing to explore and learn about ensures that the developers will be able to not only draw the player's attention, but to keep it for the duration of the journey as well.

Perhaps the biggest boon video games have as an interactive medium is that they are capable of utilizing their numerous components to craft a multilayered experience that enraptures players and holds their attention in the long run. This makes the presentation a component that designers should strongly prioritize (along with gameplay) during development in order to sustain the wondrous and novel nature of the journey. With the above pieces of advice that I've given, developers can leverage the sources and resources they have at their disposal and forge a title that, when equipped with recombinant creativity, can potentially offer to the gamer one of the most distinct and unforgettable experiences they'll ever play.

Let me know what you think of my article in the comments section, and feel free to ask me questions! I’ll do my best to get back to you as promptly as possible.