#yes I would end up getting a lot of people who play dating sims

[samthehypotheticaldad]

There needs to be a dating app based on the video games you play

[flwrkisses]

tiktoks enhypen would make with you.

happy 3 years of enha!!! to celebrate here's my first ot7 enha headcannon !! i hope you guys enjoyyyy.

genre: fluff. established relationship.

warning: links to tiktok. i do not know anyone in the videos below. not proof read.

LEE HEESEUNG ‧₊˚❀༉‧

he's not one to outwardly ask to make tiktoks with you, or be really on top of current trends. however, you thought it would be funny to record his reaction to you playing the "water" song associated with the tiktok trend to see if he would look over. it was something most people were doing with their boyfriends and it looked funny. heeseung was well aware of the "water" trend and even did the dance for you one night to make you laugh. however, he did not know people were testing their boyfriends to see if they would look over in attempt to see a girl doing the sensual dance on the screen. so when you take the video you both can't help but laugh uncontrollably. watching him playfully sulk in the corner was also an added plus.

PARK JONGSEONG ‧₊˚❀༉‧

a lot like heeseung, jay is aware of tiktok and maybe some trends however he had never need the lipstick trend you had been dying to do with him. so when you show him the tiktok he can't help but smile a little at the fact that you wanted to do it with him. as you placed the kisses all over his face he giggled and looked in the mirror. it was safe to say that jay had never been covered in lipstick like this before so it made him extremely giggly. even made him want to snap a selfie once you had planted each kiss and made sure the lipstick stain was visible on his tanned skin. you'd have to film the video multiple times because he'd get a little too distracted while looking at you. theres no hiding the love in his eyes for you... fr.

SIM JAEYUN ‧₊˚❀༉‧

he was the one who saw this trend on his fyp and showed you the videos. he thought it was the cutest thing and literally begged you to film it with him. after a couple days on convincing you said yes. so on your way to your dinner date, jake props up his phone on a street lamp and with out rehearsing much filmed the interaction with you. what you didn't expect was for him to lean in and kiss you so passionately and aggressively as he did. in between kisses all you can hear were his happy giggles because he knew he took you off guard in the best way possible. so that one and only take was the one he used to upload, and man he was reaaaaaal proud about it.

PARK SUNGHOON ‧₊˚❀༉‧

you've been dying to post something cute with your boyfriend on social media, however sunghoon is so anti pda and couples content it took him a little bit on convincing. luckily, when you showed him this trend he realized he hardly had to be in the video and the focus was on you, which in his shy nature he really enjoyed. so when you guys went outside to film it, he didn't think about his speed or force. grabbing you to his chest a little too roughly made the both of you burst out into laughter uncontrollably. he obviously apologized for almost snapping you in half in between his sweet smile and chuckles. and when you both looked back at the video, sunghoon begged you to post it because he just thought the end result was way too funny not to put out there.

KIM SEONWOO ‧₊˚❀༉‧

sunoo loves scrolling through tiktok, he's on all the trends and knows all about the "sassy man apocalypse". and is very proud to say he is in fact part of it. he always talks about how you're so lucky to have such a soft, sensitive, and sassy boyfriend to keep it real with you all the time. however, he never thought you would make a tiktok like this and post it. he honestly had no idea why you were filming him while he played on his phone, and of course gave you the hardest side eye on earth. but, later you show hin the video you made and it made him laugh. he knew he had to watch his facial expressions moving forward because his face said it all in that video. yes you have a sassy man but you wouldn't have it any other way!

YANG JUNGWON ‧₊˚❀༉‧

being honest, jungwon has always let you know how much he hates cringy couple tiktok trends and tends to make fun of them. so one day when you're out in the park he sees another couple doing a rather sweet looking trend and it makes him want to immediately make fun of it. so when he gives you the idea of spinning and then running at you at full speed you laugh and agree. while filming you couldn't help but notice his bright dimpled smile coming at you at as he ran towards you. you fought the urge of stopping him in his tracks and kissing his excessively cute face and ran away as instructed. watching the video back, the both of you couldn't help but laugh. it ended up being much cuter than intended but, you guys were always an unintentionally cute couple.

NISHIMURA RIKI ‧₊˚❀༉‧

riki is the definition of your hype man. if you do something he stands and watches happily all the time and usually hypes you up while doing it. so when you pull out your phone and prop it up while on a walk home after dinner, he couldn't help but watch you dance to your little tiktok song. if he's being honest, he's not a tiktok type guy and a little like jungwon finds couple tiktok trends kinda cringy and honestly most tiktok trends cringe in general. he's always in his head about looking cool... but, when you encorage him to dance a little he gets kinda into it making it fun for both of you. looking back at the video he thinks it's funny and actually kinda cute. but he never expected you to post it. it was just a video of the two of you messing around like young people do, deep down however he's actually kinda happy you're showing him off... even if it is on tiktok.

©flwrkisses ; please do not copy, translate, repost and/or reuse my work without my permission. (2023)

[zoerocksand1]

🌲Gravity Falls🌟

[stand alone Dipper and Mabel drawing]

FULLY back in my gravity falls hyperfixation era :)

also i realized that i've just. never. drawn fiddleford. before???? my guy???????? i've never drawn my best boy???????????????????????? i had to fix that

💕ALSO: about my Giffany design here:💕

so i have an ongoing reader-insert fanfic that is actually not written down anywhere and only exists in my brain and is only for me and my own whims, but this is my fanfic Giffany

her story is that years after Weirdmageddon, somehow Gideon gets ahold of the Romance Academy 7 game disc, still fucked up after Soos threw it in the oven at Hoo-Ha's, and gives it to the Reader (who at this point had lived in Gravity Falls for 3 months, has befriended him, and who was invited to live in the old Northwest mansion with McGucket) as a ✨gesture✨ (Gideon's not obsessively in love with Reader, but has a child-like crush on them, like a way toned-down Dipper/Wendy situation, and also Reader is like in their mid to late 20s or early 30s)

Reader is a slight dumpster diver and thinks random trash and junk are cool and could potentially be useful for some reason or other, so gladly takes the wrecked game disc back home. Reader has also acquired McGucket's old laptop (he got/made a new one and is all for Reader learning or building or experimenting on things so gave them the laptop). Reader brings the disc to Fidds, they decide to possibly sacrifice the old laptop to screw around with trying to find out what was on the disc/ how to fix it/ how to recover it. Fidds gets it working, the disc now permanently in the laptop as getting it up and running was a miracle, and taking it back out or shutting the program might cause it to never be able to open again.

Giffany has been "dead" for years (i know that in Journal 3 Soos and Dipper write that she ended up trying to romance Rumble McSkirmish, but i have elected to ignore that), so missed the past few years on progression and history in town, like all of Weirdmageddon.

Giffany now "wakes up" in the old laptop, but stays low to scope out what's going on: the last thing she remembers is Soos throwing her game into an oven and "killing" her. So who was this new person looking at her game files? Hell, who was the old man who booted up her programs even?? (i can't see any way she would know who McGucket is prior to this)

Reader has played dating sims, and specifically DDLC, so has some theories on what this game is- especially given how things in Gravity Falls are: Reader may be new to town, but very quickly discovered some of the ways it was strange here, like how a gnome tried to kidnap them once shortly after moving there. (Reader is really chill with the gnomes after this, and actually really good friends with Jeff)

Giffany eventually pops up and tries doing her "lure them in with the dating sim" thing like she did with Soos, but Reader is more focused on talking to an impressive program like Giffany, than actually playing her game. Reader straight out the gate treats her like a fellow living human, and they get to talking. Giffany talks about what happened with Soos and these 2 kids (Reader moved here in the spring, so hasn't had a summer meeting with Dipper and Mabel yet, and Ford and Stan are sailing, but has heard of all 4 of the Pines around town). Giffany tells them about how yes, she has hurt people, but her game always got returned, her own creators tried to delete her just for being too aware, and she is always left behind.

Reader has a lot of rejection stories too (because this is only in my brain and yah i have a lot of experience being rejected, so Reader gets my angst), so understands Giffany's perspective. Over a few days, they talk and bond, and then through what is basically a fetch quest Reader gets some "magic ink" (i dunno, im spit-balling here and it's MY brain fanfic) from the gnomes for an unrelated idea/previous conversation with Jeff.

The way the magic ink works is basically just that anything drawn with it will copy off the page into the world and come to life. A lot of it comes down to the emotions and thoughts put into the drawing, and the ink can read the intentions of the illustrator.

So Reader asks Giffany what she thinks, would she want Reader to try to give her a body? A physical form? Neither of them knows if/how it would work exactly, but what if she would be able to experience Life, maybe Reader would even want to be a part of that. She says yes.

Reader draws Giffany, just as she is in her pixel art, but less pixely, so she could hopefully blend in as a human so no one would treat her differently. Once the drawing is done, Reader actually jots down a few notes, namely "Giffany's physical body: all information, memories, feelings, and experience she has/had in her game disc/save files/the laptop are all still in here. Her physical body is realistic, her skin feels warm and she has real hair". After the final stroke, the ink reacts, and Giffany is standing before Reader, but she's also still on the laptop screen. The Giffanys look at each other, but the physical one looks at the screen more like she's looking in a mirror to check out a new outfit, rather than she was seeing a different version of herself- both are the same Giffany, the same consciousness (and even with a physical body she can still hop between screens like in her original episode, as she later would develop the habit of hanging out in Reader's phone to stay close to them without needing to move her physical body)

Longer story short; Reader introduces Giffany to Fiddleford, he's cool with her and offers her to live in the mansion like he did to Reader. They want Giffany to have agency and control over herself and her life, so turns over ownership of the drawing and the laptop to Giffany. Giffany gets reintroduced to other classic characters, including the Pines when summer starts, and Soos since Reader has also actually picked up a part-time job at the Shack. People are understandably worried and uncomfortable at first, but overtime warm up to Giffany once they start seeing her as a person. Giffany and Reader naturally and casually get to know each other and slowly fall in love. Reader is the one to make the first move, and kisses Giffany at a dance at the Shack. Fiddleford overall thinks of Reader and then Giffany like his kids or even siblings, and the 3 are best friends, Giffany surprised that she cares about someone so much without it being romantic. Eventually Giffany decides she wants a new look to go with her new life and perspectives, but instead of altering her drawing, she wants to change her appearance like a real human would: Reader cuts her hair for her, and they either go shopping for new clothes or she takes some of Reader's clothes (Reader gets the "boyfriend's clothes stolen by girlfriend" classic throughout this, Giffany loves to steal and wear their clothes to feel closer to them). The final touch is Giffany going in with magic ink and adding a little doodle of a leaf next to her drawing, and adding the note "she has this small leaf tattoo on her inner left wrist" because my name is Leif and i love Giffany and this is my fanfic soooooo i can do what i want

anyways my inner world is rich and my mental fanfic is fantastic and also this was only the Giffany notes, in my inner fanfic Reader is dating Giffany, Stan, and Ford, while Ford is also dating Fiddleford, though this is a later development. Also Mabel and Dipper are both dating Pacifica. Reader and Pacifica are the only members in the "dating a pair of Pines Twins" club.

(i love my internal fanfic, i've been thinking of and building this up for years. Also Pacifica lives with Candy and/or Grenda)

💕💕💕

[ray-elgatodormido]

Haha! Princess Bride reference!

I started doing a thing testing out some stuff and ended up with DW Origins Lady Yan/Merah. Upon consideration I came to the conclusion that she would absolutely terrorize the MC like an otome isekai manhwa/manhua villainess unless he befriends her. Poor baby.

I am going to play this game like a yaoi dating sim because that’s what Koei gets for robbing us. I consider making a YouTube channel and record my unhinged commentary instead of just putting it on my instagram story. Anyway more Merah stuff. I really like how the dress and hair came out.

Here’s a profile view and doodle.

This poor baby omg.

DW Merah is a bit of a rich mean girl at first. But she is essentially putting up a shield against a world who would (and has) mistreat her for being a foreign woman. She’s making herself unapproachable to ward off people who would pick on her if she appeared vulnerable. It’s earned her a reputation for having a bad temper and being a pain to deal with. (high ranking officers being on the receiving end a lot of the time) She’s very wary of pretty much anyone, but never actively picks on those who are weaker, she really just wants to be left alone. Her character arc is about opening up and put away the cold hearted facade. With Lü Bu or anyone she trusts, that warm and playful personality shines through. She is ruthless with her enemies and ballsy regardless though. She is unpredictable too, not always what she appears, ex: she’s not easy to fool even when giving the impression of being a bit airheaded. Not too different from Wo Long Merah, just executed differently. I hope I’m making sense.

Also makes for some delightfully entertaining interactions with Diao Chan.

Sketch dump time.

DW8 Lady Yan. Bad armor. Questionable fashion. But she ate anyways.

No amounts of exaggerated man cleavage will ever change how much I hate DW8 Lü Bu’s look. A pain to draw and he is going to stab himself in the stomach by leaning over. *dying gargoyle noises*

She wouldn’t be very fond of Chen Gong. Literally looks down on him. Gotta add what little we know of the actual Lady Yan or at least the novel version. I mean it gives a better reason for Lü Bu to not listen to Chen Gong rather than “He stupid and wants to break someone’s kneecaps”. Chen Gong earns her trust in the hypothetical route which in turn earns Lü Bu’s trust.

Yes she is perfectly capable of lifting Chen Gong.

[absolutebl]

This Week In BL - Korea is coming after your office romance crown, Japan

March 2023 Wk 3

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Bed Friend (Sat YT, GaGa & iQIYI uncut) ep 6 of 10 - (sorry, yes I knew they extended it to 10, and I don’t think it’s a good sign) I thought the kink moment was kinda cute, and it illustrates the best thing about f-buddy relationships, license to play and explore. Also language play! (You know phi/nong is also for pets, right?) Poor Uea never gets to keep a grain of happiness very long - so now he’s pushing it away and self isolating. Sigh, I do hope there is happiness for a few eps at the end of all this trauma. 

Future (Thai Sun YouTube & Gaga) ep 1 of 5 - Based on a y-novel by Faddest (En of Love) about an engineering student and a dentist. Expect this one to stay soft, it’s from the 21 Day Theory people. I LOVE it. Bad sound and wooden acting but this is a classic old school Thai pulp. Older shy (but delightfully manipulative) sweetie dentist Ana with crush on younger sappy sunshine jock engineering student, Fuse. Very much a puppy/cat pairing. I admit, knowing all the various characters’ back stories means everything makes more sense. The friends’ conversations make me laugh a lot, but this is a very talkie show, with not awesome subs, so certainly not for everyone. I’ve already rewatched the first ep 3x. 

Pastsenger (Thai Weds Gaga) 3 of 12 eps - I enjoy that its the tsundere uke developing feelings first. Unusual approach. I also like that fake dating is being deployed to protect the girl from a stalker. It’s silly but I’m starting to like this show more. 

A Boss and a Babe (Fri YouTube) ep 4 of 12 - Honestly, the boss character isn’t really that tsundere. He’s basically a big old softy. Also baby boy very jelly. I would be too. Ex is v hot. But we keep being told things about these 2 characters but not shown said things on screen. Like the writers think they are telling one story but what we are watching is completely different. It’s... odd.

Tin Tam Jai (Tues Gaga & iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 - Aw, P’Park has an emotional support uke. OMG they brought the flirty faen fatal crumb back! YES. I love him. 

The Promise (Thai Weds YT) ep 4 of 10 - Good advice about secrets. It better come out and it better be a good reason... like witness protection. I am starting to get annoyed and feel manipulated the more they drag it out. But from the preview it seems like next week brings the PAIN. I have never been more ready. 

Chains of Heart (Sat iQIYI) ep 6 of 10 -  Will I ever understand this show? I hate that such good acting and chemistry is squandered on such an incomprehensible script. Is the “Korean doctor thread” a set up for Lue actually being Din (dead lover) with a new face? Because I suspected that at the beginning but if that’s the big twist in this narrative it’s a super clumsy twist. I hope they don’t. I’d rather it’s that Din turned himself into Ken - creepy, but less predictable. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Dating Sim (Korea Thurs Viki) eps 5-6 of 8 - Miracles of miracles: The kissing is even good in this one! Aw, baby wants to be courted. The redial phone call flirt had me flappy-handing and cackling. How are they THIS cute? It hurts my heart, two nerds in love. Also being linguistically outed at work is my new favorite trope ever. I rewatched these 2 eps an embarrassing number of times. (Warning, it looks like we got us a classic 1yr Kdrama separation coming down the line. PLEASE subvert this trope ODS. PLEASE.) 

All the Liquors (Korea Thurs Gaga & Viki) eps 7-8 fin - I guess I just don’t get over-dramatic angst about silly things. The premise of this show seems to be overreaction to some stuff, under-reaction (more typical KBL) to everything else. So not allergic but an alcoholic grandma who drank herself to death? Cute confession and kiss. They are so shy and sweet with each other. For a Korean drama this had a great ending which elevated it a lot over the many other KBLs of this type (Tasty, Sweet, Ocean, etc..) 

Final thoughts: A pretty classic foodie set KBL that managed to distinguish itself from others in this category by having a particularly satisfying final episode centered around found family. Sunshine sweetie soju rep gets involved with a shy introverted chef who doesn’t drink. Has a somewhat uneven plot, but If you are looking for a restaurant BL with Korea’s signature softness, then this is a great option. FYI I may identify with our baby party boy hedonist more than any other BL lead ever presented. 8/10 

I present actual footage of P’ABL whispering in your shell-like about what you should watch next... 

Unintentional Love Story (Korea Thurs iQIYI) 3-4 of 10 - (here’s how I am getting it) ALL THE TROPES these 2 eps. Cohabitation! Pretty house! Flirting. Ooo evil agent ex? White towel sponge bath doesn’t get deployed by Korea very often. Other thoughts: Why does the ceramicist’s car look like a hearse? How is Gongchan SO CUTE? Boyfriends-to-be eating together is great. So many self-worth issues in this one no wonder @heretherebedork​ loves it. (This is an unexpectedly long series, too. 10 eps and each one is over 30 min. That’s crazy for a KBL = Light on Me territory.) 

A Shoulder to Cry On (Korea Tues Viki & Gaga) eps 3-4 of 7 - this sort of emotional and mental manipulation (from narrative and characters) meets bully romance isn’t my thing. (And should be left up to Japan if it must exist at all IMHO.) Ultra cringe, humiliation, and emotional torture for everyone! (What is this, fan fic?) Result: therapy is needed for everyone, including me, who continues to have trust issues with this show. 

Jack o’Frost (Japan Fri GaGa) ep 6 fin - delayed until next week 

It’s Airing But ...

Love Syndrome (Thai Sat WeTV) stopped at ep 2 of 12 - I’m just not into any aspect of it (except Lee Long Shi and I can watch him in Tin Tem Jai) - saving to binge if the end is solid.

Blue Sky Complex (Japan ???) 5 eps for VR - adaptation of Kei Ichikawa's manga started Feb 27 on 360 Channel (SHOCHIKUch) a VR distribution service. Will inter-fans ever get to see this, and if it’s filmed for VR will it adapt without being overly dark and fuzzy? I have questions. But as usual, you do you Japan and we will wait (im)patiently to see if you remember the rest of the world exists. This is my preferred kind of live action yaoi, so fingers crossed.

Boyband (Thai) ep 2 of 10 - Stopped airing on YouTube, and only available in Thailand & Japan. Not sure if they’re working a distribution deal or just fucking with us.

Cafe In Love (Thai ???) 10 eps on Ch3+ - Thai pulp, about trying to save a coffee shop. FairyGodBLer came through for me, but I’m collecting to binge just in case. It’s my new policy with the grey stuff.

Destiny Seeker (Tues WeTV Thailand) 10 eps - it’s not on any WeTV I can get ahold of. Bad Buddy the pulp rebirth meets Japanese handsome host club action. Same as above.

Make a Wish (Thai Weds ?) from WaGa Creative staring Fluke Natouch (OhmFluke UWMA etc...) & Judo (The Miracle Of Teddy Bear) in a medical-fantasy. It seems to be a light-hearted romance with a comedic flair. About a doctor who sees ghosts and a deity who resides in a Bodhi tree that earns merits whenever he fulfills a wish based on a y-novel by Sammon (Manner of Death, Triage). Too hard to find. 

In other news

I finished watching Why You... Y Me (hold over from last year). It’s basically Puppy Honey + a band + excessive fujoshi, so NOT my jam, but the main BL side is nicely handled love triangle, if that’s your thing. There is a tiny gem of a story (buried in amongst the rest of this nonsense) about friendship, support, love, and owning your identity. But BL is very much the secondary plot here and the main plot is AWFUL so I can’t give it more than 5/10. Still it’s all on YT if you wanna give it a try. 

I also finished The End Of The World, With You AKA Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu. (Speaking of Japan psychologically bullying us.) Conclusion? It’s not BL (no BL tropes used, a sub-genre is defined by its tropes, BL is a sub-genre of gay romance). It’s a quirky road trip found family gay drama/romance. It’s fine if you like this kinda artsy tortured character thing. I don’t. But it’s well done high heat from Japan so... 6/10 I guess?

Next Week Looks Like This:

The Eighth Sense starts weds Viki, I’m thinking this is KBL doing JBL style again, so no promises on an HEA for this one. It’s giving me. His (the series) feels. But it could be more in the Blueming vein. Remains to be seen. 

Full list of upcoming in March 2023 is here.

2023 forthcoming BL master post. (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

This Week’s Adventure in Captions

Actually, Fuse said meeha which is usually translated as wifey (there are other slang words for bottom). Fuse is trying to establish a sexual and romantic dynamic where he plays “the male role” and he is doing this with Ana for several reasons: 1. Ana made the first move. 2 Ana is older. 

This is definitely one of those were the captions are OK but old-fashioned, it helps to know the common used terms and parlance. They are ALSO never saying boyfriend, they are always saying faen (gender neutral). 

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENT

I really liked this phrasing (Boss & Babe). 

Double date!

The cuteness, it burns us. How is Gongchan a 2nd gen idol, nearly 30, and still the ultimate macknae? Inquiring minds would like his immortality pill, please and thank you. (Unintentional Love Story) 

Another gay cactus baby! (Why did tumblr lose its mind over this? Here’s the BL meme primer) 

I love it when a show calls out it’s own tropes. 

I also love it when a show accurately reviews itself. 

All from Our Dating Sim. 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? Okay so Ireah on Peak Time did a bitty cover of Bad Love by Hynn and now I’m obsessed with it. I like her original a lot but I really want him to drop a full cover of it someday. 

[prettyflyshyguy]

Happy April 1st, I have no new joke but here's a really good old one.

Buckle up.

Alright. Can't remember if I posted much about this before, but at my old job I produced this videogame. It was pretty cool!! It was set in the future, you're a super soldier who piloted remote robot drones called Espire.

(Violent little robot Sooty, my beloved. The shotgun pump in the trailer is still my favorite bit.)

I had my fingers in just about every pie that made up this game, and it was extremely cool getting to work with the team. April fools rolled around, game hadn't released just yet, we were finalising into the certification phase.

Every friday we had something called 'demo friday' where the team would show off something they worked on that week and we'd celebrate. It was charming to let everyone have a chance to show off their contributions, from every department in the company. I never really showed off anything because the spreadsheets I worked with, everyone already saw cause I would run around showing people every day as part of my job.

So on this fatefull, April 1st Friday, I asked to show the team something special. I pulled up a powerpoint presentation and add-libbed a new game concept pitch.

I pitched Espire to Love, a robot dating simulator, to a room full of 25 odd videogame developers.

Now as you may or may not have noticed, I don't often dabble in romance as a genre. I've barely touched dating sims and I'd never mentioned them before at work.

"From Dreamy daddies to anime girls, KFC's the colonel and even dinosaurs, there's an incredible range of options in the dating sim genre" I said with a straight face infront of a room full of people who were crying with laughter. I was barely holding myself together.

No one was prepared for the fake screenshots.

Still remember how hard some of them laughed when I pulled these slides up. I packed a lot of in-jokes into these that I won't explain - I wanted this to hit hard and hit home for the people I'd spent two + years working with.

People loved it, I made my friends laugh, it was good. And then upon being told "Hey you should send this to the publisher!"

That's exactly what I did.

The response from our assigned reps at Tripwire (YES, THAT TRIPWIRE) said they loved it, and they too were asking themselves the question "why not!" the whole way through.

But this story doesn't end there, oh no.

Fast forward a year. The game is released, we're hectic busy working on post release content, I'm cooking up the next stage of the joke.

Unfortunately, it never came to fruition due to time and stress. But here's what it was going to be:

We'd had our community clammoring for merch - so I wanted to pitch something bold, new and exciting, and the kind of thing that'd make us stand out.

Body pillows.

Would have been incredible. Might've made someone faint.

The robots were called Bean and Sooty during development so yes. I was going to deadass say "The bean bag and the sooty sack" (I mean what I say)

Unfortunately I didn't make it in time, and then double unfortunately, I lost my job when the studio had to significantly downsize.

But that never stops me from posting a good bit. You all know I'm a committed freak.

Fast forward a bit more and I'm trying to learn how to make my own games! So I download RenPy since it's a good starting point. It's designed more for VN's, so to find my feet I figured I should make as VN right?

I didn't want to make to make new assets, as the point was me learning to code. What to do..... what to do....

Full circle babeeeeyyyyy

And that's where we're at today! Long post I know, but I'm real proud of this joke. I love a good laugh that hits you at home, that's just honest fun. Huge shoutout to my old co-workers for listening to my original presentation, their laughter filled my heart and I was fucking terrified at the time, it was worth the joke.

It became a running gag in the office - we were playing Jackbox for a work party and it was one of those question and submitted answer games, and without any input from me the team had made the question "What would the for the sequel to Espire to Love be?"

and the options were "Espire to Live" and "Espire to death"

Anyway, I hope you only have charming and well considered April fools jokes today - designed for you to laugh at as much as the person making the joke. That's the best joke. Peace out.

[arkhammaid]

Pookie 2 please. (Ollie has my heart rn and I need fluff)

I need Spanish media Nepo babies influence against the stark influence in literally the rest of the world. I need the unresolved angst and I need the mortal enemies these two would be because Carlos WISHES he was as good as little stark.

But also OLLIE BABY he deserves the world and while yes he would get shit from Tony, Peter and Harley, he would win them over so fast.

Tony immediately is just like “k your chill and actually have the capability and SeNsIbIlItY to send a stark to bed when they’ve been sciencing and inventing long enough” so as long as he doesn’t have to bear witness to PDA he’s adopted another kid (part time of course, he’s an in law with no trauma (compared to his three))

Peter and Harley would be giving him shit for the longest, but eventually he’s like another brother and they just make fun of any PDA. They’re also teaching him ✨science (engineering) things™️✨ so he has a lot more input into the car and drives a lot better.

But yes Ollie is a simp and will fangirl the most about tony and Peter, while also being overly respectful with pepper because holy shit that’s the lady who has control over a company with not much previous experience, can pilot the iron man suits, and has media influence…. He was raised to be respectful of strong independent women.

Anyways enough of that have a great rest of your (insert appropriate timeframe here)!

i just woke up to this, a big smooch to you anon <33

referring to this post

yes to all of this!! so, the thing is, up until now, no one really went against the spanish papers because they were either not powerful or bothered enough by them 😭 but i just KNOW all starks are petty enough to go all out. i also feel like sainz sr would be sensible enough to actually stop the slander but carlos would just continue (and get in trouble lmao) because he can not cope with his feelings. especially when he sees his replacement getting all cozy with little stark...

ollie just wants the best for the love of his life (that's what little stark is) and tony has eyes. he sees how happy he makes her, so he gets accepted very fast into the family. much faster than he thought

ALSO YES! ollie fears any starks too much to actually do any kind of PDA, he doesn't want to get run over just because he kissed their daughter/sister in front of them 😭 it ends with little stark literally grabbing his face and kissing him in public, leaving him all dazed and blushing

and once peter and harley get over it, they actually become really close with ollie, start to drag him with them every where. it ends up with them stealing ollie from little stark for "bearman time" (stark siblings fighting over who gets to spend time with ollie while he's just standing there like this 🧍‍♀️)

ollie returns from his winter break and starts to talk with his engineers in engineer talk and everyone in the factory is just o.O (resulting in people trying to play detectives,, because wtf did ollie do over winter break (since he and little stark are definitely keeping their relationship secret for a while)) charles is definitely quaking in his boots when ollie delivers his sim racing times. why can't he just have one easy season...

ollie bearman was definitely raised to respect women and isn't afraid to show his inner fangirl (why do you think little stark fell for him...) he will forever remember the day when pepper gave her approval of his relationship to her daughter. it literally means the world to him

to add to all that!! the bearman's absolutely ADORE little stark. his younger siblings think ollie is the coolest brother in the whole world because 1. he met iron man 2. he talked to iron man 3. he's literally dating the only daughter iron man has. no one can top that

while his parents are first... well a bit reserved, (since she's the daughter of a public hero AND a driver) when ollie tells them that he and little stark started dating, they're very excited for him. they see how happy they make each other, so little stark is definitely a honorary bearman (and they don't mind PDA, which results in ollie being much more bold with little stark when he's around his family instead of hers LMAO (it results with little stark wanting to visit them very often, she likes this ollie much more))

[guessimate]

Hello everyone... We are starting round VIII today and Sims 2 is turning 20 this week. Happy birthday, TS2! I'm really glad we still have so many active mod creators who make my gameplay possible. Thank you everyone. I'm going to be honest, without mods I prefer TS3.

~*~

Sadly, the ROS for the Tia family was quite unfortunate and not a reason to celebrate at all. I even wanted to delay this scenario till next round, but decided against this idea in the end. I really don't want my sims to die in every post, but this death also led me to add new sims and a new 'region' to my game, so something good did come out of it...

I started the round by adding the Garas family to my town (you can see them in the previous post). It is quite funny, but when I rolled the ROS for the new family, the scenario I got was to add sims, so fate clearly wanted me to add some new blood too. The first part of this post describes me playing the Garas family. There really isn't much, but you can get to know them a little bit.

It turned out very quickly that Sosen's one true hobby was Cuisine and she was really obsessed with it. She wanted to skill up all the way to level 4 and she liked serving bread and grandma's comfort soup to everyone all the time. Also, for some reason Sosen really didn't like her little brother, even after she taught him the nursery rhyme.

Her father Phaesi wanted to work in the Business career (which I have default replaced now so it's more like a career for merchants). But the career didn't appear in the paper, and he really wasn't merchant class (probably yeoman at most?). He also rolled a want to get a robot station as well as a toy station, so he will probably end up becoming a blacksmith of sorts. I think having something to do with metal makes sense for people whose surname means bell ringer.

I am not taxing the Garases because they just moved in and they needed a dowry immediately. By MCC rules it would be 800$ for yeoman dowry, but since it's ToT it's going to be 1000$ dowry for a plebeian marrying into a patrician family.

~*~

Sosen and Zephaniah met at the bathhouse (they met through a 'changing screen' and I thought it looked hilarious, as if it was some blind date).

Peregrina, Tias' servant, was part of the welcome wagon, so I used it as a pretext to summon Zephaniah over to Sosen's temporary home. {Yes, I placed down the Garas family in a pyramid for now, even though I knew that it made no sense, but I liked using the pyramid as a decoration}.

Sosen's dad Phaesi met her beloved and his dad Zet and he made friends with both of them so that the young lovers' union would be blessed. I played the Garases for ~3 days, after which Sosen was moved in with the Tias. I know the time isn't perfectly synced for all of them, but at least it was Wednesday on both lots when I left 'Sim Egypt'.

~*~

Sosen got pregnant and her baby will be totally healthy. Hooray because Zephaniah doesn't have much time left... He was unwell last round, but this time a really deadly ROS got him. Zephaniah was originally supposed to live till his elderly years and I really wanted him to at least pass on his genes.

The baby is a girl, and unfortunately, Sosen dies due to complications really bad birth rolls. Because Zephaniah also dies, the newlyweds are dying together, and I'm going to say it's because their organisms couldn't stand the journey between the two 'countries' (or Sosen's body couldn't accommodate fast enough).

While I don't care it's a baby girl, and not a baby boy, what it means is there is noone left to pass on the Tia last name. Tane's surname is not Tia, but Siew. So technically this family (name) will 'die down'. It didn't survive the test of time. To be honest I don't really mind it, because I have another family with a very similar name (Tian), even if they are not related at all yet.

~*~

I named the baby Demiana. She's a Sagittarius: 4 Sloppy (like mom), 2 Shy (less outgoing than both parents), 7 Active (like dad), 9 Playful (like dad), and 6 Nice (like mom). She has blue eyes and blond hair like her grandfather Zet. I believe she inherited her mother's cheekbones and she's not going to be the most beautiful sim ever but that's fine.

Rana aged up and she's a Popularity sim. She aged up when she was already on her period, but I think something went wrong because she didn't get the memory, so I guess that didn't count, which is fine. She is in no rush to get married.

Tane is a Pleasure sim (like his mom was).

His younger sister Sen is a Knowledge sim. She aged up at the very end of the round. Sen has 9 Creativity points (she wants to max it out) and only 1 Charisma. She's supposed to max both these skills out before she is allowed to marry the emperor, so it might take a while...

Rana and Tane got a joint birthday party again, but Sen (and baby Demiana) didn't, partly because it was a workday and Zet was not home.

On the night when Rana and Tane aged up Jonah's ghost showed himself. He claimed 2 lives before I sent him to the graveyard (technically only Sosen died instantly, of fright, and Zephaniah died of starvation).

I really need to play the Siews again because the siblings have caught up to their aunt Yune's age...

I didn't mention it before, but I needed to move Peregrina and her baby out when I moved Sosen in so she could have her baby. After the newlyweds sadly passed away, I moved the servant back in, so that she would take care of the babies, and help the family take care of the mess Jonah's ghost left. Sims who died of drowning really are the worst.

~*~

Zet Tia got promoted and he wanted to learn a skill, so I had him work on what he needed for his last promotion (before I would give him the job stopinator). On the very next day he got promoted again, for the final time, and now he's Gentleman of the Bedchamber, earning 1008$ a day. I know by the rules 1000$ is the salary cap for them, but that's good enough for me.

Zet earned 861$ + 1722$, then 1008$ + 2016$ promotion bonus. And on the last day of the round he got a regular paycheck of 1008$, bringing him to the total of 6615$. This is definitely the most he will ever earn per season. From now on he will only be getting his daily pay of 1008$.

They are paying:

3000$ - rent

662$ - tax (10%)

662$ - tithe

= 4323$ total, rounded down to 4300$. There is 30,280$ in town's funds now. And I have actually already added a new community lot I really shouldn't have, but it's just a beach lot with a pier... I should really build a temple instead.

They also got a 1000$ dowry, but I don't tax that. I could maybe make them pay a wedding fee, but it's not like they had a ceremony on a community lot or anything. I will probably make them pay a big burial fee when I move Sosen and Zephaniah's graves to the cemetery, because I had to make the Tias' part of the graveyard bigger...

[anamoon63]

Sims Get To Know Me

Thank you @simsdastra and @nocturnalazure for the tag 🤗❤️

What’s your favorite Sims death?

None. My gameplay rule number 1: nobody dies. Ever.

Alpha CC or MaxisMatch?

I'm not quite sure if I understand what Maxis Match and Alpha mean, I just download the CC that is to my taste and anything that goes with my sims style.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Yes, I have a mod that makes the sims keep their shape, because most of them are part of my stories and need to stay in their character. Though just like real life people, my sims come in all shapes and sizes.

Do you move objects?

A lot, especially when I'm taking pictures for my stories.

Favorite Mod?

For Sims 3, all the Nraas mods, as well as any mod to get rid of the silly faces the sims make when they're idle. I wish there was something that actually cancelled the autonomy, but I haven't seen anything like that so far. For Sims 4, Basemental and Wonderful (not Wicked) Whims are a must. Good Lighting Mods are essential too, for both S3 and S4.

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

For The Sims it must've been Hot Date; for Sims 2 it was University; for Sims 3, I think it was High End Loft Stuff, and for Sims 4, it was Get to Work.

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

aLive (like 'hey, we're going live' now'. Like when I yell "Action!" and start taking pictures for my story posts.

Who's your favorite sim that you've made?

I don't really have a favorite as I love them all. Plus, i have very few sims made by me since most of them were born in game. Now If I had to choose a favorite sim that I made from scratch, it would be a tie between Winston Casanova, Karen Valentine, Felix Ferdinand and (naturally) Robin Crane. Sorry, I can't decide myself, like I said, I love them all! 😄

Have you made a simself?

No, but I used to have a Sims 2 simself, it wasn't made by me, but by someone from the forum I was on in those days (circa 2004).

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

For The Sims 3 any color, for The Sims 4 I use black hair a lot.

Favorite EA hair?

All Banged up (Sims 3 Store), cause for a long time it was the official hair of my sim Tony Langerak (Tony Langerak's World Adventures). I also like some of the hair in the Supernatural EP, with the appropriate retextures, of course.

Favorite life stage?

I have no favorite; I play with all of them. But at the moment I'm playing more with young adults and adults.

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

Gameplay, mostly because I'm not good at building. I've never built anything in The Sims 3, and The Sims 4's build mode gets on my nerves, so I don't touch it. In The Sims 2 I used to build and upload my houses and community lots like bars and dorms. Those were the days!

Are you a CC creator?

I started creating cc when I was playing The Sims 2, recolors mostly. I was just starting out when The Sims 3 was released, and no one was interested in my content anymore. I would make CC for the Sims 3 but so much time passed that I forgot how to use Photoshop and all the tricks I had learned to paste textures, etc. I would like to relearn to create something in The Sims 4, but now I don't have as much time as I used to, and I prefer to use the little time I have to take pics and advance my stories.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

A squad unfortunately no, but I have my mutuals. I hope someday we can form a club, or a chat, or something where I can communicate more with them. Again, if only I have the time...

Do you have any sims merch?

No.

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

No. I would have liked to have a Let's Play back in the day, I would have had fun and I would have probably amused other simmers, but now I don't know if I would dare, I'm too self-conscious and a bit too old for that.

How has your "Sims style" changed throughout your years of playing?

I started playing privately and "writing" my stories only in my head, then I started taking photos and sharing my stories, that's how I got started as a storyteller. My stories were quite popular on the forum I was on, with way many more views than I have now. Later, with Sims 3 times I created my Blogger and for a while I just uploaded my sims, shared sims memories and made tutorials. Then along came Tumblr and, from creating sims and helping others with their games, I became a storyteller again. (Calling myself a "writer" would be too much, as English is not my native language). I would really like to write and share more polished and structured stories, but I don't have the time and/or privacy nowadays to create the kind of stories I have in mind. In short, I no longer have time to write the intricate stories with lots of different characters and lots of drama that I used to write back in the Sims 2 days. nowadays my "sim style" has been reduced to sharing gameplay and the occasional story post. (If you can call that a style).

What's your origin id?

AnaMoon63 Like my Tumblr url, but with capital initials. ;)

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

Wow, that's a tough one. There are so many! You can check My Favorites Sites list on my old blog home page here. It sure doesn't mention all the wonderful creators that have been added to my sim universe since I wrote that list. And some of the cc creators from The Sims 4 are missing. I promise to update it soon on my new blog!

How long have you had Simblr?

My first Tumblr post I made on August 8, 2013, almost ten years ago!

How do you edit your pictures?

I find Reshade or whatever-other-shade too invasive and complicated, so I use a photo editor called Photoscape X Pro to (try to) enhance my pics a little, though I don't know a thing about editing, so I wouldn't call what I do "editing", lol.

What expansion/ gamepack is your favorite?

For The Sims 3, would be World Adventures and Into the Future (in that order) I also love University, Island Paradise, Late Night and Seasons. For The Sims 4, mm, I don't know, probably Snowy Scape. For the Sims 2 it is hard to decide, I love them all, especially University and Open for Business. And for The Sims it was Making Magic.

Like I said, English is not my native language so my apologies if some paragraphs were confusing.

I'm tagging all my mutuals and everybody who reads this! 😊

[still-a-morosexual-help]

@🌹anon asked about my ocs sometime back and as I was answering it rn I accidentally deleted the entire thing😭😭😭😭😭

I'm gonna try and write whatever I remember again✌️:

Yes I did it again (shut up);

I'm such a fucking idiot, I found the "deleted ask" hidden deep in my drafts - apparently it went there when I lost my internet connection but instead of getting saved at the top of my drafts it got saved on the day anon first sent me the ask so somewhere in the middle between other drafts??? Anyway:

!!!You asked for it!!

They were all created for some game or another (characters I'll be able to toss away once I'm done playing the games) But I ended up falling in love with all of them🤡

I can't draw people for shit & I don't wanna describe appearances so I'm gonna use picrews (with links added for anyone who wants to use 'em too)

Starting from first created to last & answering it like I'm making them character profiles for a dating sim (but leaving out the three from Choices 'cause I don't know if they can be considered proper ocs rather than just characters the game handed us? Also leaving out the others from fictif because they're not as well developed)

1. "Lex" Alexandra Lane

(Lex after Lex Luthor and Lane after Lois Lane because I think I'm funny)

[1] , [2]

Origin: Love Island the Game S2

25 at beginning now 26 years (Birthday: November 16th)

5'5"

She/Her

Bisexual

Professional Cellist

English/British because the game didn't give me a choice

Married at 26 (because the game gives you no option), will definitely have a couple kids at some point

No gross out factor - probably ate bugs as a kid. Probably will still eat a bug off the ground if dared to. Biggest point of pride is that she can do a backflip in heels. Loves fashion/beautiful clothes that are usually stupidly expensive. Biting her lip and making bedroom eyes at every single person but really just wants to fall in love and settle down. Hates confrontation/any sort of fight but also really wants to know everything about everyone's business. Good at being the mediator. Always the big spoon. Actually pretty buff - can absolutely bench you.

2. Eliza Ramskin

(Eliza after the official name of the porcelain apple doll sitting in a box on my cupboard but then I decided I didn't want it to stand for Elizabeth so now it stands for "A Lizard" after the rubber gecko pasted on my bedroom wall. Ramskin: a bad pun because of the game)

[1] , [2] (yes the little frog is supposed to be me)

Origin: Obey Me!

23 at beginning now 26 years (Birthday: April 21st)

5'10"

They/Them

Queer

Wildlife Photographer

Has chronic pain

Has a scar over one eyebrow - will smugly tell you a cool story for it. In reality dropped a jar of peanut butter on their face. + top surgery scars

-> Essentially just om! gen MC with a background and name. Have you read my post about gen MC's canon facts? Have you read any of my gen MC theory posts, where I take individual canon facts & connect them to see what happens? Have you read any of my obey me! fics? Can you remember what general MC was like in them? Then you know exactly what Eliza is like. But still, here are some of my favourite parts:

Ambiguously human. Would fight God at 2am in a Denny's parking lot and WIN. They're very lowkey an asshole but underneath that they're kinda nice but underneath that they're a bigger asshole but underneath that they're even nicer and so on and so forth. Surprisingly down for murder. 0 self preservation + 0 shame + 0 fear + max drive & determination + max stubborness + max can do attitude + unconsciously charming + actually pretty strong + danger kink + horny = the world's greatest monster fucker.

3. Len

(Len's short for Lenora which she no longer goes by but irl named after my Lenova laptop, No surname.)

[1] , [2]

Origin: The Arcana

31 years (Birthday: June 7th)

5'11"

She/They

Bisexual

Same occupation as the game's MC

The only one who has a defined body shape in my mind and that body shape is plank of wood

Pitch black eyes that reflects no light. Vague cryptid energy. Stoic, cold yet thin polite smile that seems very surface level. Posture's so good just looking at her makes your back hurt. Warms up once you get to know her; is caring and gentle and understanding and soothing but also stuborn and tough/harsh/strict. Responsible but also has no problem breaking the law if needed. Dreams of travelling the world. Gives off black cat energy but is a dog person. Sadistic in both the sexy and unsexy way. Bad puns. So much untapped potential to be a super villain. I think I accidentally just created a female version of om!'s Lucifer...

4. Vale Knight

(Vale after welcome to night vale which I hadn't watched at the time, Knight from the same place but it's also a pun because of what happens to them in the game)

[1] , [2]

Origin: Last Legacy

28 years (July 10th)

6'0"

They/Them

Queer Polyamorous

Same occupation as the game's MC

Not only are they a weeb they're an ASSHOLE. The kind of person to get stabbed because their first instinct was to mock the mugger. Decided to dye their hair for cosplay once and then went "wait a minute -" A shameless flirt until someone flirts back and then they're a flustered annoyed mess. Had a lot of jobs over the years, currently a barista - doesn't want to be a barista forever but doesn't know what they want to do (other than gaming, watching movies/shows/anime, reading books/comics/manga) until they accidentally discover a passion for medicine and go to nursing school

5. River Bouwmeester

(River after Lake from Infinity Train which I've never watched, Bouwmeester because it's a Dutch surname meaning "master builder" because they work as a home renovater)

[1]

Origin: Monster Manor

27 years

5'1"

He/They

Queer

Same occupation as the game's MC

American (because the game gave me no choice) with probably Dutch origins from their father's side

Couple of big scars here and there

BIG "I can fix him energy". Moves around a lot = not much possibility for a long term stable relationship = oblivious and shy when it comes to romantic attraction. Strong, patient, practical. Very little can rattle them. Came from a long family line of home renovaters/builders (of the magic, strange & weird) but no close living family. Unironically loves bob the builder. Trying very hard to forget about the fact that they're extremely lonely by keeping up a very positive optimistic attitude. Their truck is their pride & joy. Absolutely loves their job even though it's what causes them to move about so much and so makes it hard to form close connections. Very friendly from the first moment but isn't tolerant of anyone's bullshit.

6. Roo Kidd

(Roo after the baby kangaroo from Winnie the Pooh, Kidd because the baby kangaroo was a kid. Surprisingly the actual meanings behind both names fit with their character/circumstances)

[1] , [2]

Origin: Twisted Wonderland

16 years (Birthday January 10th)

5'7"

He/They

Gay Demiromantic Asexual

Wears reading glasses

Lots of small scars from scrapes and scratches all along body

Always cold + loves cute clothes = wearing summer dresses and instantly regretting it. Head in the clouds 7 outta 10 times. Has never felt romantic attraction before - believed they never would and was 100% okay with that - so the one time they did start feeling it went "wow I'm really into this friendship" and stayed oblivious for an annoyingly long time. Also similarly oblivious to romantic attraction directed at them. Kinda klutzy. Big wet eyes. Big bright smile. A ball of sunshine but also really snarky. "This might as well happen" energy. Fast with quick reflexes and a sharp eye for detail. A cunning edge that comes out only during emergencies. Strength of a wet noodle though. Gets a shitty impromptu/accidental haircut that leads to him buzzing it all off and having to grow it back.

[just-a-carrot]

Not a question, but thought I’d write this out here ‘cause I didn’t know where else to put it. Did it anonymously because it’s kinda personal, but my writing style’s possibly unique enough that you’ll know who I am anyways sooo… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I started playing Our Wonderland around January/February of this year, at a time in my life where a lot of my real world friends had either gotten too busy or abandoned me for another clique. Senior year of high school, ya know?

Basically, mentally I was a bit wack, and even before that I had had the habit of turning to dating sims in order to get my fix of “attention.” I didn’t care how mentally fucked up the character ended up being, as long as he treated me nice, I was over the moon. One of the games I played was basically a gore fest with a small amount of romance moments if you “played your cards right”, and I ended up getting hugely attached to one of those characters. It became a favorite game of mine, and I probably could’ve missed stop lights with the level of rose-tinted glasses I was wearing.

So, when I saw a friend of mine on Discord playing a visual novel that had really gory death scenes and possible romance aspects, my ears immediately perked up. I thought it would be similar to that dating sim I had gotten so attached to, and since my mental health was still doing tHiNgS, I thought I’d give it a try.

WOW THAT TURNED OUT A LOT DIFFERENT THAN I EXPECTED. Not only did I end up reevaluating my whole psyche along the way, but I also view Our Wonderland as one of my favorite comfort games now! Ironic, I know, but it’s true. On those days where life just feels too difficult, I open the game and have Genzou tell me to get my shit together and all is okay. Because someone, somewhere cares about me as a person. (Yes he’s saying it to Iggy, BUT IM PLAYING IN THAT MAN’S SHOES OKAY-)

That was legitimately all I needed from someone, and the fact it was this absolute horror fest of a game that gave it to me was something I never could’ve expected.

Basically, I went from having the equivalent of “someone like Gidget would be okay (like Arcs 1-4 version) as long as they treated me nice sometimes” to actually having standards! Kinda. I still like the character from that game I mentioned prior, but I know what healthy standards are SUPPOSED to be now. Progress!

I’m in a better mental place now, I think, and I’m super excited to see whatever else you put out! Can’t wait for Arc 5.15!

(Also good job being added to the list of 48 dating sims I currently own lolol)

oh my gosh... my heart... 😭💕

this honestly nearly brought me to tears reading this. thank you so much for taking the time to write up so many of these (really personal) thoughts. and i'm genuinely both touched and honored that my game and chars could have this much impact on you?? sometimes it does just happen that we can find something to connect to at a time when we need it. i have certainly had many pieces of media throughout my life that have been the same. the things that have gotten me through rough patches. the times where i've just been a mess. the times i've been been barely able to function because of my anxiety. or things like huge life changes like moving countries. i feel like in every one of those moments in my life, i've had something there to ground me and keep me tethered and get me through it, and it's always been one of the things i was hyperfixated on at the time that formed that core rock (and sometimes also the people online that i met because of that hyperfixation)

right now for me getting through the rough patches in recent years it's been making this game itself LMAO so i'm glad it can also be there and provide a place of comfort for others.

i'm really glad you're in a better mental place now, though i'm sorry you've had such rough periods this year. i hope that your next year will prove much better and give you some peace 💕

[the-martyrfication-of-the-matron]

Because @ineedanamepplpls asked for it,

A post about a small group of my ocs :)

Might draw them later idk.

So we start off with Lea. Yes she is based off of a sim I made. Hush. She/her pronouns, straight (*gasp*), she’s half Arab and half Chinese, and she’s dating Reed, who we shall get into later. She’s a film student, really obsessed with period films set in like 1800s France and also noir films, is actually working on a script for a noir film with werewolves in it. She can play piano (though her dorm only fits in a keyboard), and eats just straight up peas as a snack. She shares a dorm room with Andie.

Andie, he/him (trans dude), bi, and he’s black. He’s dating Olive (who we shall also get into) but he did date Lea for a short while. He’s an art student, though he also does classes for Violin and does veterinary science to fill his empty time. He isn’t doing great in his classes because he’s a little distracted with his partner but he tries. He’s actually doing better than Lea is, she’s like three seconds away from getting kicked out because of how poorly she’s doing.

Olive, he/her (non-binary), queer but doesn’t explain how exactly she is, white. Dating Andie, and occasionally crashes at him and Lea’s dorm since it’s closer to some of his lessons. She has way too many of his own clothes there and that’s where he keeps his video games because her roommate hates them. She studies literature and history, and often shares with Andie some cringey lines in the books he has to read. Doing shockingly well in classes though she never attends his classes. Oh also he can see dead people and phase through physical objects.

Reed, he/him, straight (*another gasp*). dating Lea. Old old white man. He’s one of the professors at the school and also a superhero (since that’s the little universe idea they’re set in). And Olive’s dad. Which isn’t awkward or anything. He teaches one of Lea’s film classes though clearly doesn’t let their relationship sweeten up her grades at all. He has your classic super strength, Olive gets her powers from her mother’s side. Reed also doesn’t know that Olive is queer in any form nor that he’s dating anyone, let alone Lea’s whole ass roommate. That reveal would end up fairly awkward.

Jasmine is Lea’s sister, she/her, lesbian, half Arab half white, graduated a while ago, currently works as a TA for a music class. Occasionally pops in to see how Lea is holding up.

Alex, he/him, gay??, white. He has the form next to Andie and Lea’s and they yell at him all the time for having his music too loud. He’s kind of a himbo and genuinely doesn’t realise how loud he plays it. He’s a film student too and is the current planned director for Lea’s werewolf noir (he’s a big noir nerd too) but they argue a lot about creative choices regarding the werewolves designs. They don’t know much about him at all and everything they do know is a pure guess. He may or may not put cheese in his hot chocolate, based off of Lea seeing something in the corner of her eye one time and her always being low on both cheese and hot chocolate every time Alex comes over.

[mikuni14]

I just read your post about Unintentional Love story/bed friend. I agree to an extent. I always felt something was wrong and I couldn’t enjoy fully both Bed Friend and ULS even though they are not bad but I couldn’t find the reason until I read your post. I definitely have a harder time with BF because as you said it’s very repetitive, so much that it’s annoying : Uea find himself in danger or is being flirted, King come to save him or is jealous, they have sex. I feel it’s basically only that, NetJames chemistry save the show because if they were awkward, everything would just be painful to watch. I think most Thai BL that are currently airing are good on the papers but the execution is just the worst, which is a shame.

About ULS, I completely join you when you say ULS is a story we already watch a thousand time and there is absolutely no surprise : the character has a mission and have to deceive for that but along the way that character fall in love with the most deceived or the only deceived, give up the plan but each time the confession is interrupted by something and at the end, the truth comes out in the worst possible way with the deceived character being furious. I don’t know if you watched but it’s the exact same plot to a Kdrama called Coffee Prince that was released in 2007. Now I would say something differ in ULS with the original plot we all know is that Taejoon left and was miserable because of society standards and consumerism while he found happiness in something that goes against society standards (a same sex relationship). I think this part is very interesting and add layers to the drama. I find people harsh with Taejoon and Wonyoung, I seen them say they think they are boring, the actors are awkward with each other’s, they are barely interacting intimately. I don’t agree because I, who tend to notice and feel awkward when the actors are uncomfortable don’t feel like it. What I feel is that Gongchan has to play an uncomfortable Wonyoung, now I am not sure why : Is it because he realise for the first time that he is same sex attracted and doesn’t know what to do ? Because he feel guilty about the plan and not telling the man he loves ?

About the skinship, if you compare to any recent Thai BL or even Our Dating Sim then yes, it’s a little lacking but honestly the hugs that we have between those two characters are enough, they are so heart warming and lovely. For me, the most important is that you can understand that the characters are in love and that’s exactly what I felt with TJ x WY. Personally I am not one who is comfortable with BL skipping kissing or intimacy because I feel it could be due to censorship and I hate that, there are already BL who get an adaptation and remove all BL contents and I think it’s absolutely scandalous but I don’t think the lack of intimacy in ULS is due to censorship. And now about the boring argument, yes they are not the most thrilling couple ever but they are so chill and comfortable. Sorry, it’s a bit longer than what I expected but your post made me have a lot to say.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts 😘 Bed Friend is still a very good show and I like a lot of things about it, for example I liked the fact that Uea just quit because that's rare. However, in the last episode (I don't know if you watched), the series followed the usual pattern, i.e. King saved/helped Uea and all work - related problems were dealt quickly and efficiently, because it's Him, a Strong and Resourceful Seme. On the one hand, I like it because I believe that victims should have support and help from family/friends/other students at school/coworkers at work - and in Bed Friend not only did King come to his aid, his colleagues in his office also rushed to help him. On the other hand, I like stories where the victims get a chance to take action, to scream out their pain and fear, to get bloody revenge. I contradict myself a bit and I bounce between things I like, that are mutually exclusive and I know it. I don't know how to explain it properly, but it's kind of complicated. I firmly believe that Uea has the right to walk away to keep himself safe, for the sake of his mental health, to give up the fight, especially since when he fights, he is accused of probably wanting "it" anyway, or of exaggerating his issues. I just... like to see victims of abuse going berserk, paying their abuses back with interest, like in The Last of Us or The Glory series. I want to give Uea agency, but at the same time I also want his friends to stand by his side and even fight on his behalf, because that's the right thing to do. Heh, contradicting myself again 🙄 Anyway, it seems that the repetition of Uea's torture is over, so I suppose it will be better from now on 😉

Oh, this ULS trope is used all the time, even featured quite recently on my beloved To Sir, With Love (although it didn't bother me then, probably because I'm obsessed with the show and I'm just plain biased). In ULS, it doesn't bother me that much either, but I admit that I wish someone would break this old and overused pattern someday.

For me, ML from ULS are not boring, but looking at their physical contact, I have the impression that they act out scenes from het dramas. Like the way TaeJoon puts his hand on WooYoung's neck is a gesture that I know from het dramas, not from BL series, and it can be noticeable to viewers, even unconsciously and therefore weird. Actually their story IS very much het K-drama, when you think about it 🤔

Regarding skinship, my stance is clear: either the actors are comfortable with each other and that shows through kissing and physical contact, or they're not and then I don't want to see any kissing or touching. The thing that ALWAYS turns me off even from the most lovely couple is the feeling that the actors are forcing themselves into physical contact. I will not comment that in 2023 an actor is unable to perform physical love with an actor of the same sex and why such an actor is hired, it's a separate issue. I focus on whether or not an already casted actor can play being also sexually attracted to a person of the same sex. That's why I want to watch intimacy at the level of KinnPorsche or Ghost Host Ghost House, or the lack of it like in Kabe Koji (which I still enjoyed). Dead-fish kisses, or awkwardness in physical contact is unacceptable unless it's based on the story - for example, fear of intimacy, inexperience, trauma etc. But apart from that, I love watching a romance where you CAN SEE that the lovers want each other, that they can't keep their hands off each other, with scenes like staring at lips when I know the're thinking about kissing, that they want to kiss and touch, that they love everything about the other person including the BODY. Like it was in Secret Crush On You, or in History 2: Crossing the Line. I love these kind of romances 😍 I don't know, maybe for many viewers TaeJoon and WooYoung are boring because they are very vanilla and their characters are rather gentle, withdrawn and introverted. But their relationship is very turbulent, a lot of things are going on with them and the're experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions. For me, neither this series nor the couple are boring 😚

[corpseaten]

i see!! i never have considered it much, but i suppose to someone who has no siblings, it would be.... i think the most i personally know is my stepdad is the youngest of 9! family reunions there are a mess. we all actually used to annoy each other a lot when we were younger, but we are much better at leaving each other alone now. i do think it is easier with my sister out of the house.. like i said, those two get rowdy and they always try to pull me into it, but otherwise.... 

and ack, i know, right?! it was always very bland things.. i do not remember any of the actual games i played either, but i do remember they were all on girlsgogames. which is also the host of my favorite dating sim ever.... well, i do not think it is on there anymore, but if you ever find the chance to play 7 dates: second date i highly recommend it. it is very unserious.! if that is the sort of thing that makes you laugh. i actually briefly played love live, when i was very into rhythm games in middle school, but when i wanted to play it again this year i learned it has gone out of service! it seems very interesting, though.

i am glad, i always get delighted when i get a response from you!! nodding.... i feel quite disconnected from people too, i have always thought i belonged somewhere else. and haah, i doubt most people would! you may be the only one who knows.. besides my family, that is. to this day, my sister still calls me "the bully baby", but in my opinion, if you are 6 and getting bullied by a newborn, that is on you! i was a baby! 

i agree. i think it is especially funny that she tells me to go out with (nonexistent) friends, as if she has anymore herself.! thank you for the wishes. as long as we get plenty of literature questions, i tend to be pretty adept. and i have been sickly since birth, so my mom tends to get very worried if i feign ill too much.... and nothing is worse than a doctor's appointment. eugh. 

NINE ?????? Oh my dear lord. Sharing my things with one sibling would be stressful enough , but eight others ?? my little mind is completely blown. I have never been to a family reunion before, I have only met my grandparents and one aunt and one uncle ! My family sort of hates each other, perhaps that is why my parents stopped at one . . If you ever didn’t want to see them, you could always just lock yourself away in your room, that should work, right?

They should have let me create all the clothing options . . . I would have made them ever so cute , in frills , nothing can go wrong ! Ahhh, yes, that’s where I played them as well, I played a lot of games on there. I am not very into un-serious things, I like sincerity a lot, but, I will check it out . . next weekend . . when I am finally free again . . flops over. Really ? I started playing seven years ago , the game eos-ing ended my life. It is one of my favourite things ever though . . aqours my beloved. It is interesting! One of few idol games that stays happy and light and is just overall cheery without needing dark themes to keep fans interested . . . love it.

You do ? Ahhh you really are too sweet , I’m glad that my replies make you happy. Same here , humanity, is not somewhere I will ever belong, but, I do not mind, it is not like I wish to be around them to begin with, so, I’ll stay away, up in the clouds, if you are ever bored, I could give you a lift up. Is it something you actively keep a secret ? I’m honoured that you’d let me in on it, I’ll make sure nobody else can find out, I think violence is beautiful though, so, truly there is no need to keep it’s gift from others ! How do you even get bullied by a baby . . natural selection would not be so kind.

Why are you going for her throat ? ! Teasing, that is very much hypocritical, I mean, as long as you enjoy yourself, why does it matter how much you socialise with people you do not like ? they will all die anyway. Do you enjoy literature ? I am not really a reader so, I do not know much myself. Ahhhh I am terribly sorry to hear about your health, mine is slso not very good though I have just been taught to deal with it and move on in life . . perhaps that is why I am so used to pain ! I wish you no doctors in future.

[cringywhitedragon]

Random thing but I don’t think anyone has mentioned this regarding DDLC regarding certain scenes and the content warning that regular VNs also have

NOTE: THIS POST HAS SOME MENTIONS OF SPOILERS FROM THE GAME DDLC AS WELL AS MENTIONS OF SOME TOPICS THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED SENSATIVE. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE TOPICS AND/OR DO NOT WANT THE GAME SPOILED AS IT IS BEST PLAYED BLIND.

I know how it tries to pull the whole “subverted VN” thing but even then there are a few things that “break the immersion” when it’s needed that actually work and have been seen in actual visual novels that aren’t just designed to be Psychological Horror

Namely that of the more sensitive scenes (Aka that one Sayori scene) and even the content warning.

Now why am I saying this because you may be thinking “Oh Reshi, this is supposed to be a spoof on the old Dating Sim VA so this stuff is there for subvertation reasons.”. First off, yes and no. Yes because it’s supposed to either throw the player for a loop when it happens and to warn them if they are sensitive to this content but also no since these sorts of things happen in even in any regular old visual novels.

Japanese visual novels (Which DDLC is mainly based on) are no stranger to sensitive topics like mental health, blood, death, murder, and even suicide in some instances, espically if it’s in a school setting as a lot of dating sim VNs tend to fall into of what DDLC is trying to parody/pull itself off as. Though usually these sort of things, usually the extreme latter, usually only tend to pop up towards the end of the game, usually if the player is on what we will refer to as a “Bad Ending” of a certain route. It doesn’t have to happen on-screen since this sort of thing can also happen if you are pursuing another character’s route but usually it’s most often front and center in bad ending routes focusing on the specific character which is why I feel it’s kind of a shock that no matter which girl you pursue, even if it is Sayori and choosing all of the positive options for her which would normally net you in these circumstances a good ending (even if it’s due to Monica fucking with the game), this scene will always play out regardless. Same goes with Yuri in Act 2 because even if you spend time with Natsuki (Who doesn’t even have one), you will always get her death scene when you may have expected to have it be the other way around (Tho at this point, the game has already made it clear it’s not just any old VN

Let’s pretend for a second if DDLC was not a meta horror game (Yes I’m aware DDLC: Blue Skies exists but let’s put that aside for now), and was simply just a regular old VN that still kept these heavy elements, these sort of scenes would still work in this case if you make the wrong choices and wouldn’t be unheard of appearing but likely handled more in a heartbreaking way instead of more of a horror element.

Now onto my other point, the warning text at the beginning of the game. Yes I know it kinda gives things away but at the same time it could work into fooling people that DDLC is just a visual novel.

Let’s say that you don’t read the extended one on Team Salvato’s website and only read the ones in the opening seconds on the menu (Namely these and ignoring the Contains Spoilers one from DDLC+):

I mean it kinda gives away that something’s up with this game but doesn’t always point directly to it being a horror game with these sorts of warnings, espically if lets say, you’ve played other VNs in the past since content like this still pops up in VNs that aren’t intended to specifically be horror and it doesn’t always have to just jump out in your face on every route as sometimes the average Joe on the first run of certain games might not even see this stuff even if it’s in the game.

Take School Days which I feel is a good example since how infamous it’s bad endings are and while yes they can be obtained on shear accident by somebody going in blind, not everyone playing the game will come across some of the game’s darker scenes but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there (Correct me if I’m wrong or feel free to provide another example of you wish) so a game like School Days which is a dating sim game at its core could still carry a warning like that of DDLC that a player might see when they boot up the game, even if they happen to get lucky and never get to actually see any of that content.

Just a bit of rambling but idk if anyone else noticed that

[cerastes]

for some reason I feel that thing about movie romances is the fault of the medium itself, and the fact that directors have to just direct people to act certain ways to make the story hold together even when it’s clear people Do Not Act Like That. Regardless of who you put behind the camera, it takes real skill to realistically capture people falling in love, and it’s probably even harder to capture people faking it convincingly

That's a good point in regards to the medium in itself, especially since movies have a short runtime, so they have to get things going and doing in more of a hurry than most other artforms. Where I think this doesn't hold up too well, however, is on the realism part of what you said: I don't think anyone with realistic expectations wants a realistic depiction of falling in love in the runtime of a movie, with all the flesh and meat that entails -- you go to other artforms with longer runtimes for that, like books or games -- what I think people want is anything that isn't the whole "Male Main Character annoys and forces himself onto Uninterested Female Character until she gives in" thing. There's definitely WAY more ways in which romance can be shown, in which romance should be shown.

I'm going to run a very different, yet comparable situation by you: The Denko situation.

If you're not familiar with the Denko story, good ol' piece of netlore, it's about a guy without social or romantic skills, well, stalking a girl because he considered her his girlfriend just because he'd sent her a truly absurd amount of texts with small talk in them, inane stuff like "do you like the new McDonald's burger?" or "I wear my socks two days in a row, by turning them to the other side" or "what a nice weather!". When people in 2ch. asked him if he was trolling or if he was seriously thinking they were a couple, the guy answered he was not playing around, and then someone else mentioned "this guy thinks real girls work like dating sim characters" as in, just by talking to them a lot, about whatever, you win them over, and if you don't win them over, then they are heartless bitches that play hard to get, and you have to talk to them more.

The Denko story is about a lot more than that, but that's the part I want to focus on for the purposes of this: Moviebros feel much the same, and it's a pretty fucking sorry state of things having to see yet another article in the newspaper being like "THIS POOR ROMANTIC PLAYED PIANO OUTSIDE GIRL'S HOUSE SO SHE WOULD ACCEPT HIS FEELINGS..." sympathizing with the guy and not with the girl. Sympathizing with the guy! The guy being a public fucking nuisance that doesn't want to take no for an answer because Popular Mainstream Media taught him that a no is just a yes waiting to happen if you try harder and taught the general populace that these constitute romantic gestures and not stalking and harassment. He's suddenly not a creep that doesn't know when to back off, he's an underdog. We root for him.

And we should not root for him for the same reason we should not root for the Denko Guy: Because That's Fucked Up! And Women Deal With This Shit A Lot!

In the end, it's all part of a bigger Alpha Male Fantasy of "pulling yourself by the bootstrings" that a lot of the mainstream film industry seems to have a raging veiny throbbing hard-on for because a lot of them are narrowminded fossils: "The girl hated me at first, but through MY perseverance... Heh, well, I ended up winning her over!"

And it's that part that I think is really bad: That's not perseverance, that's just self-aggrandizing baby behavior. It's such an easy, basic, generic, digestible plot device to sell, despite how bad and silly and overused it is. I don't think anyone wants realism, I think what we want, is not that.