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illumynare · 4 years

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How the Enneagram explains all of Ford and Stan’s problems

….well, most of them, anyway.

So in my ongoing quest to learn all personality typing systems ever, I’ve recently started reading about the Enneagram, and it struck me that Ford and Stan both fit extremely neatly into the system, and it provides a great framework for analyzing why these two idiots can love each other so much and yet continually hurt/trigger/drive each other crazy.

(descriptions taken from the Enneagram Institute website, not linked because apparently that means this post won’t show up in the tags??)

Stan: Type 2, “The Helper”

The Caring, Interpersonal Type: Generous, Demonstrative, People-Pleasing, and Possessive

Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own needs. At their Best: unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.

Basic Fear: Of being unwanted, unworthy of being loved Basic Desire: To feel loved

This is Stan in a nutshell: somebody who loves deeply and unconditionally, sacrifices himself without a second thought, but also easily becomes possessive, and whose “helper” actions are often in some way an attempt to earn people’s love. He rescues Waddles from the pterodactyl so that Mabel will stop being mad at him, and he rescues Ford from the portal hoping that will restore the relationship they had as children. It’s not that Stan doesn’t genuinely care about Mabel or Ford’s suffering, it’s just that, on some level, he’s always trying to earn the love of the people he cares about.

Ford: Type 4, “The Individualist”

The Sensitive, Introspective Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental

Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved. They are emotionally honest, creative, and personal, but can also be moody and self-conscious. Withholding themselves from others due to feeling vulnerable and defective, they can also feel disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living. They typically have problems with melancholy, self-indulgence, and self-pity. At their Best: inspired and highly creative, they are able to renew themselves and transform their experiences.

Basic Fear: That they have no identity or personal significance Basic Desire: To find themselves and their significance (to create an identity)

Feeling vulnerable and defective, yet disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living: if you looked up “Stanford Filbrick Pines” in the dictionary, that’s the first thing you’d see. People have argued a lot about whether Ford is arrogant and how much, but I don’t think that’s actually the most helpful way to analyze his character. Ford has, at different times, considered himself a genius, a fool, a hero, a puppet; but what never changes is that he’s obsessed with the question of his own identity, and driven by the fear he’s either a freak or a non-entity. Even at the end of Journal 3, when he finally starts to chillax, he doesn’t abandon the question of his identity and say, “Who cares if I’m a hero or not.” Instead he chooses a new identity: “I’m a hero’s brother, and I’m okay with that.”

So how does this explain their problems?

Because, as much as these two dumb idiots love each other, they have primal fears that are often at cross-purposes, and that make them hypersensitive to each other’s worst tendencies. Stan fears being unloved and alone, and at his most desperate he is willing to do anything—including literally immolate his identity—to keep his loved ones around him, or bring them back. Ford fears having no separate identity or personal significance, and at his most desperate he is willing to do anything—including cut his twin out of his life, and summon unknown spirits of insane power—to grasp that identity.

This is why I think that, even if the whole science fair debacle had never happened, they would have still had some kind of major rift. They both grew up bullied by other children, emotionally abused by their father, and without any kind of support network or healthy relationship models; I don’t think either of them had the resources, at that point, to deal with their issues in a healthy way. Stan would have tried to cling to Ford no matter what, without realizing Ford experienced it as suffocation; Ford would have tried to strike out on his own no matter what, without realizing that Stan experienced it as complete rejection.

And this dynamic is also what drives their conflict after Ford comes back through the portal. I’m thinking, particularly, of their scene at the end of “Tale of Two Stans”:

Ford: Okay, Stanley, here’s the deal. You can stay here the rest of the summer to watch the kids. I’ll stay down in the basement and try to contain any remaining damage. But when the summer’s over, you give me my house back, you give me my name back, and this Mystery Shack junk is over forever. You got it?

Stan: You really aren’t gonna thank me, are you? Fine. On one condition: you stay away from the kids; I don’t want them in danger. Cause as far as I’m concerned, they’re the only family I have left.

A lot of people have interpreted this scene as Ford planning to kick Stan out of his life and onto the streets (and written angsty fanfics accordingly). This may indeed be how Stan saw it, but I don’t think that’s a fully accurate perception. A moment before this, they’re laughing about being old men. Ford’s voice in delivering his ultimatum doesn’t read as angry or cold so much as somebody trying to put his foot down.

I think the key to Ford’s speech is the implicit link between “you can stay here the rest of the summer” and “I’ll stay down in the basement.” Ford is primarily thinking about the issue of his stolen identity: there can only be one Stanford Pines, so while he’s willing hide himself away and let Stan keep playing the role for the rest of the summer, he wants to be Stanford Pines again. He wants his own identity, and to have a say in what goes on in his house. Which is completely reasonable!

But of course, Stan is approaching this conversation from a completely different direction. He’s spent thirty years trying to save Ford, not just because of his own guilt but also because he wants their relationship back: think of how he throws his arms wide and shouts “Brother!” when Ford steps through the portal. From Stan’s point of view, Ford is saying that everything Stan suffered and accomplished is still not enough to earn his love. Which is why Stan lashes out, having finally reached the limits of his willingness to martyr himself. Objectively, it’s kind of terrible to disown your brother for not saying “thank you,” but in context it completely makes sense for Stan to react this way. (And honestly, it’s really good that he has managed to discover ONE boundary, even if he’s being petty about it.)

….but of course, Ford still doesn’t understand what’s going on in his brother’s head, so he interprets Stan’s anger as something along the lines of “how dare you want to make decisions, you should just live in my basement for the rest your life to make me happy.” Which in turn drives his hostility and posturing in later episodes (like the DD&MD game—yes, Ford was swept away by enthusiasm, but I think he was also very much trying to mark his territory when he covered the TV room in graphs.) And that just escalates Stan’s hurt and anger, creating his determination Not To Care even when the world is ending and Ford is a prisoner, and culminating in the Zodiac Fight which is hands-down the pettiest thing either of them has ever done.

What saves them is Dipper and Mabel, who remind them it’s possible for two radically different siblings to work together—and who give them something to care about outside their own tumultuous dyad. Threatened by the loss of Dipper and Mabel, they find they can still trust and understand each other well enough to pull off a desperate, last-minute con. In one way, their final gambit seems to echo their earlier patterns: Stan burns up his identity to save his family, Ford grimly makes a choice that will cut him off from his brother. But there’s an important difference: Stan doesn’t expect to get anything back from this, not admiration from the kids or love from his brother, because he doesn’t expect to be himself after. He burns the dream of the Stan-o-War along with all the rest of his memories. Ford, on the other hand, gives up all claim to being the hero, The Man Who Killed Bill Cipher; more than that, he trusts Stan to carry out that role for him.

And that’s how, after everything, they’re able to reconcile and be at peace with each other.

#stanford pines #stanley pines #gravity falls #stan pines #ford pines #enneagram #reposting to see if i can get this in the tags

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prongsisabadger · 4 years

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Songs for the Heartbroken: That’s What You Get

AO3

FF.net

Prologue.

What is the scariest thing in the world? If people say whatever first comes to mind, we would probably end up with answers like heights, spiders, or maybe even death; but there are definitively things in this world that are scarier than that. The ones I particularly find most terrifying, are people. Of course there are different types of people that are terrifying in their own particular way, but here, I'll only write about one of them.

People who love. This might sound a little stupid to some but bare with me and allow me to explain. The word 'love' has now lost its essence from the amount of times we've heard it said with astonishing lack of sentiment. But I am not referring to an eleven-year-old's version of love when they first confess to their crush; nor am I speaking about those words guiltily spat between ground teeth or stuttered in the spur of a moment for lack of a better thing to say. I don't mean those many whispered 'I love you's of someone who just cheated on their significant other.

No, what I fear is much more profound, raw, animalistic even. What I feat is a person who disregards their own life in order to whatever or whomever they love. Those people have a purpose and will do anything to see it through. Just like a parent protecting their child, a soldier fighting for a cause they believe in or anything that can inspire such passion in a person's heart that the consequences of their actions go beyond one's imagination. People with a mission and the will to lay down their lives to accomplish it; those are the people who scare me the most. It's men and women with this kind of drive and determination who bring down nations, who are able to destroy anything in their path; capable of building relationships, entire lives and tear through them with savage violence and not an ounce of hesitation.

But the most frightening part of it is not what they are capable of, it's the fact that you never know who they are until its too late. You might have known that person your entire life and never had contemplated the possibility. Anyone can be one of these people, one of those who love too much; and you'll never know until it's too late, not even if that person is you.

That is the moment these people will stun you the most, when you find that you yourself are one of them, unsuspicious even to your own consciousness, until you realize that you would be willing to do the unthinkable to protect what you love. When you realize, that after all, those things that once seemed so terrible are not anymore, and that if it means safety, then you don't mind doing them anymore. Not even if it means you will lose your humanity in the process.

I have only seen such drive in someone other than my brother and me, and it took me quite some time to realize it too. I knew Shisui and I were special in some way other kids in the clan were not, that was at least until I met Itachi. The heir to the Uchiha leadership seemed like nothing special when we had first been introduced, he was serious, pensive even beyond what would be considered normal for a four year old. Even I with the extensive training (it was extensive, ok? Cut me some slack I was four) I had been put through at that tender age, was not as stuck up as he was. Turns out it wasn't because he felt superior to others, as most people outside the clan thought, he was just very insightful and preferred to assess the situation before taking part in it.

His father, the Uchiha clan head Fugaku, was insanely proud of him, and he had reason to. Itachi was a prodigy in every sense of the word, excelling in every ninja art at a very young age and showing more promise than any other child in Konohagakure no Sato. But what no one expected from the quiet prodigy, was the fact that he was one of these people; one of those who love too much.

My childhood had been good enough considering the times we were living in. I had grown up within the safe walls of the Uchiha compound, caging me in for six years until I would be allowed to enroll in the academy, keeping me from seeing much of the village and even less of the world. Not that this was uncommon, after all I was a child; but it was at that young age that life started shaping itself around me, and events that would be shaping my future, started taking place.

"But onii-chan, I already practiced shuriken jutsu and kunai this morning! Why can't you teach me more taijutsu?"

Ah, the innocent, peaceful days when my only concerns were regarding my training. For some reason, even if I was a spoilt brat most times, my brother managed to somehow keep his cool; he was good with children like that, even if he was only two years older.

"Akane, your taijutsu is nearly perfect; you're the only one who could give Fugaku-sama's son a run for his money. Your other skills need honing too, you know?" I pouted. I used to do that a lot back in the day, so much in fact that Shisui had become immune to its effects, unlike our grandparents.

I took the weapons basket my brother handed me and once again, turned to face the target hung on the sole sakura tree in our garden. It had become a routine with the passing of the years, after our parents died in the war, Shisui had decided to take my training upon himself; since our grandparents were too old (and in my oba-chans case, too reluctant) for the task. So ever since I could stand up straight, Shisui had attempted to give me the knowledge he had acquired over his few years ahead of me. So far, he had been succeeding, and with my upcoming entrance exam in two years and Shisui's eventual graduation, we tried to spend as much time together as possible.

All of this led to a very strict training schedule we followed almost religiously. Before Shisui left for the academy, we would do a series of stretches and warm-ups, followed by our daily morning spar. And when I say spar, I mean a four year old attempting to pose a challenge to her seven year old brother. Anyway, Shisui would leave for class after breakfast and a bath, and I would get stuck with obaa-chan and the chores for the rest of the morning. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, doing the futons, I hated it all; but I did it without complaining or slacking off for obaa-chan's sake.

After that, I would help jii-chan at his shop in the Uchiha district market. He was a blacksmith, one of the best among the clan, and I had always loved watching him turn raw iron into the fine pieces of art that were considered his blades. Most customers were members of the clan, but every now and then came people from other parts of the village; and since I rarely stepped out of the compound, these were the most interesting days.

The bell hung on top of the front door chimed, snapping me out of my reading induced trance; I marked the page I was reading and put the book under the counter. Chakra control was a very important part of shinobi lifestyle, and I'd taken to read it's theory after a rather long rant Shisui had gone on after being under graded at the academy. The chunin sensei had obviously been in the wrong, so I was determined to, when the time came, point this person in the right direction and avenge my brother. No one looked down on Uchiha Shisui without facing the wrath of his younger sister, ever.

I let go of my still unborn plan for vengeance as I saw one of my favorite cousins enter the shop.

"Obi-niiiiiiii" I screeched as I jumped down from the stool behind the counter and made my way to him as fast as my short legs allowed me.

I only stopped a few feet away when I saw he wasn't alone. Embarrassing Obito-nii in front of his friends would not do. I would have loved to force the air out of my cousin with all the force a four year old could put into a hug, but apart from embarrassing him, I would put a blemish in the spotless name of the Uchiha with such childish behavior. So before I could give jii-chan a reason to scold me, I bowed down at the waist and tried to put the best impression of 'shinobi Shisui' on my face.

"Obi-chan, Onii-san, Onee-san; welcome to Uchiha Fuko's armory. What can I do for you?"

The girl behind my cousin cooed as silently as she could to try and not hurt my pride; while the silver haired boy simply acknowledged me with a slight bow of his own. Meanwhile, Obito smiled proudly and held his held high, probably showing off, with a light blush on his cheeks.

"Mah, Akane-chan, no need for formalities, this is just my team. This is Rin, and The gloomy bastard is Kakashi, I call him Bakashi though, It's more fun that way." The last part he whispered, shooting me a cheeky grin.

My cousin had always been quite easy to read, but the fact that a four year old could tell he was extremely pleased, spoke volumes. When Obito was pleased about something, he tended to boast, a lot; thus providing me with a semi-reliable information source; one just had to know where to look. That was how I came to know they were due another mission the next day, which delighted me in a way only Shisui knew. I had always been almost morbidly interested in anything shinobi, so this new information summoned a wave of curiosity and enthusiasm that I could only just hide.

"So you need more supplies for your new mission, is that right? Should I get your usual order of kunai, shuriken and fire conducting wire? Or will you need something else? I heard things are getting rough out in the battlefield."

I tried to hide my curiosity as best I could, Obito might have been a bit naïve, but I had heard about a silver haired prodigy before, and didn't want to get caught red handed trying to collect information. Thank goodness, he seemed to think I was interested in the subject, or at least making polite conversation; because he gave no signs of being onto me. Meanwhile both Obito and Rin looked amused by my 'playing adult' and had bright smiles on their faces as well as their full attention on me.

Ever since I had first started speaking, I'd found that different words and expressions, got different reactions out of people. Shisui, being the ideal shinobi trainee, had wasted no time in helping me hone that skill. He said information gathering and manipulation were key abilities for a shinobi to have; but that should only be used on the enemy. Of course, being a four year old, my 'enemy' was whoever happened to have what I wanted. In this case, Obito-nii and his team.

Obito put his hands on his knees and crouched to my height in order to address me. I, on my behalf stood straighter at attention, like my brother had told me when being addressed by a superior.

"That, Akane-chan, is classified information." he said slowly, clearly with the intention of letting my brain take in the new word; but I had been in the same room as my brother when he studied, it wasn't completely foreign to me.

I nodded rapidly and took a step back to address the other two, obaa-chan would have my head if she heard I was impolite to customers; and she would sure flip if she knew said customers were friends and comrades of the Uchiha.

"Rin-san, Kakashi-san, were you two looking for anything in particular? Our shop has quite the reputation for our work with chakra conducting metals." I said and made my way behind the counter to look for my cousin's usual order.

I struggled a bit with my yukata when I tried to climb the ladders and reach the top shelves behind the counter; but I managed to avoid breaking my neck and look at least a bit like I knew what I was doing. Traditional clothes were very restricting, when movement was concerned, but it sure looked good on a shopkeeper.

"That's the reason we are here actually, Uchiha-san. Both Kakashi and me are in need of chakra conducting blades." Answered the girl politely, the gleam of amusement still present in her eyes.

The other boy, on the other hand, who I was now certain, was the last member of the Hatake clan, stood silently to the side. He was eyeing up a tanto that was being displayed on a shelve to the side. He had a good eye, if I was being honest. The blade was not just beautifully decorated, displaying a wolf pack in the hunt on the side; but it was also of the finest quality my jii-chan had ever been able to make.

"I am no expert in that specific area," I said climbing down and placing my cousin's order on the front desk. "Would you please excuse me while I fetch my grandfather?"

When the lone kunoichi nodded, I smiled as sweetly as I could. Turns out Fuko Jii-chan was done with his orders for the day; so when the customers left, with their personal needs satisfied, I was allowed to go home and wait for Shisui.

In the afternoons, my brother would tell me about the lessons he had had that day or even a story if he had one about his classmates or teachers. After that, he would oversee my chakra training for the day. On this special discipline, I struggled more than was considered appropriate for a member of the Uchiha clan. Shisui worked hard to encourage me and hide his concern, but even if I was four, the disappointment whenever the leaf fell from my forehead, was still present in my eyes.

I tried really hard not to get discouraged, my brother was making a huge effort, and giving in to despair would be like throwing it all away. I didn't care if the clan thought of me as a disgrace; I just wanted to make my brother proud, to make him acknowledge me as a capable individual, someone worthy of being his sister.

I panted hard, trying to regain my composure, as my brother sat cross legged in front of me; leaf still firmly chakra-bound to my forehead.

"Nii-san, this isn't working!"

I wasn't trying to be ungrateful, not at all, but there was clearly something I was doing wrong; and it wasn't only compromising my training and hindering my development, it was making me a burden for Shisui. I never wanted to burden my brother, ever.

"Maybe Obaa-chan is right, maybe I'm no good-"

"Nonsense" Shisui never showed his frustration, not when it came to me; but for some reason, whenever I mentioned the issue with Obaa-chan he seemed really bothered by it. "If you want to be a Shinobi; that is what you will become. It makes no difference if you develop slower than everybody else in the clan. You will not be a career bride if you so clearly don't wish to."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before standing from his place on the training ground floor.

"I don't care if I have to train you myself. We will make an outstanding kunoichi out of you, Akane-chan." Shisui offered me his hand with a tired smile and waited for me to take it.

I couldn't help but hug him once I was on my feet. I knew he meant every single word he had said, he always did; and the fact that he so clearly had my future in consideration, showed me just how much he cared, and how lucky I was.

"Thank you Nii-chan, you are the best."

Shisui smiled right back at me and crouched, offering me his back. It had become almost a ritual; whenever we would be done with afternoon training, Shisui would give me a piggyback ride back home.

"Everyone deserves to live their own lives the way they want to, to make their own decisions and learn from their mistakes. No one is the same, Akane, and even if you don't agree with them, you should respect the path they have chosen."

The usual buzz surrounding the main road in the Uchiha compound was noticeably absent as we made our way through; it was to be expected since business was a lot less in the evenings. Very few people could be seen roaming around, and the few shop keepers that usually worked late were now closing up their stores.

"what if someone makes a bad decision, Nii-chan?" I asked quietly, noticing that I had no need to raise my voice above a whisper for him to hear me. The atmosphere around us was very calm and gave off a sense of warmth and comfort that I didn't want to break.

"Then you can do nothing but accept that it is the path they have chosen for themselves; and that they will have to face the consequences no matter what. Just make sure you never enforce those consequences out of spite, anger or vengeance, Akane. If someone has to atone for their sins, then let yourself be guided by your sense of justice."

Not entirely sure about what he had just said, I decided to just nod and let my head rest against his shoulder. I would later in life realize what he had meant back then; when friends and family would turn into criminals if only for a series of bad decisions.

#fanfiction #naruto #uchiha #oc #itachi uchiha #naruto uzumaki #deviation from canon #shisui uchiha

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eldritchsurveys · 4 years

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887.

5k Survey XIV

651. Do you think that it would be a good idea if people served in the army, navy or air force for a while before they were allowed to vote? >> I don’t think it would be a good idea at all. In fact, I think that’s a terrible idea. Just utterly awful. Absolutely deplorable. Hate it. Next. 652. If you were required to do this to vote, would you? >> Of course not. I’d literally rather just leave the country, as insanely difficult as that is. 653. Do people often give you weird looks? >> I don’t know if people’s looks are meant to be perceived as “weird” or not. I’d prefer people not look at me at all, really. 654. Do you like Japanese cooking? >> I’ve greatly enjoyed what I’ve had of it. There are some things I still haven’t had a chance to try and really want to, like yakisoba and mentaiko. 655. Do you care for stray animals? >> No.

656. Which animated movies have you seen and what did you think of them: A Charlie Brown Christmas: I did not see this. A Garfield Halloween: Or this. The Secret of Nimh: Or this... The Last Unicorn: Okay, I haven’t seen any of them. Next. The original Lord of the Rings cartoons: 657. Are you ambidextrous (equally good at using both hands)? >> No. 658. Do you always say; “bless you” after someone sneezes, or do you hesitate? >> I usually don’t say anything, actually. I don’t understand why I should (”because everyone else does” doesn’t fly with me). 659. If you and your friends could go away for 2 days over Halloween weekend where would you go? >> New Orleans again, probably. It was so much fun last year. 660. Which of these animated movies have you seen and what did you think of them: Watership Down: As the Wind Blows: Grave of the Fireflies: Oh, I’ve seen this! I thought it was lovely. How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Spirited Away: I saw this a long time ago so I don’t remember it so well, but I do remember it being very imaginative. 661. Do you feel that society is male dominated, female dominated, or neutral? >> I don’t know, nor does it particularly concern me at this point. 662. What words offend you? >> Well, the N-word. 663. They’re just words. Can you get over it? >> I don’t see why I should. It’s literally a word meant to cause harm, I think that’s pretty significant. 664. Have you ever looked into different religions? >> Of course, that’s one of my favourite things to do. 665. Which ones have you looked into? >> Multiple forms of Christianity by default, since it’s everywhere anyway. Judaism of course, it’s my fave (particularly Reform, obviously). Buddhism, a bit of Hinduism, Wicca, Satanism, bit of Zoroastrianism, Hellenic Reconstructionism, peeked into the door of African Traditional Religion (strange I didn’t peek harder than that, I know, but feeling alienated from one’s own genetic history is a bitch), various others in passing. 666. What do you think of Satanism as a religion? >> I think it’s neat. 667. Do you like it better when your classes are taught sitting in rows or sitting in a circle? >> --- 668. Have you ever read your own tarot cards? >> Many times. 669. Which ones do you like better, the three old star wars movies or the 2 new ones? >> Damn, remember when there were only five Star Wars movies lmao... 670. If you scream in outer space does it make a sound? >> From what I understand, space is a vacuum, so whether the sound itself is created or not is one thing (that’s like the tree in the forest argument at that point), but you probably wouldn’t hear it as such. Don’t quote me, though, I might have misinterpreted what I learned. 671. If you saw The Queen of the Damned did you want to be a vampire/Goth afterwards? >> I mean, I was already a goth (and I think I was already in the vampyre scene) by the time I saw that movie. 672. If you saw SLC Punk did you want to be punk afterwards? >> No. 673. What is your favorite zombie movie? >> Shaun of the Dead was pretty good. I generally don’t like zombie movies. 674. Best kids birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater >> --- 675. What were your parties like when you were a kid? >> ...Didn’t have any. 676. Best teen (about 15-16) birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater, house party, catered in a hall, restaurant, family trip, concert >> --- 677. What are/were your 15-16 year old parties like? >> ... 678. Best 18th birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater, house party, catered in a hall, restaurant, family trip, concert, club, pool hall, college party >> --- 679. If you are 18 what was your party like? >> I don’t even want to think about what turning eighteen was like, thanks. 680. Best 21st birthday party: ceramics, chuck-e-cheese, roller rink, bowling, sleep over, movie theater, house party, catered in a hall, restaurant, family trip, concert, club, pool hall, college party, bar, Atlantic city/Las Vegas trip >> --- 681. If you saw The Craft were you interested in wicca/paganism/magic afterwards? >> No, The Craft wouldn’t have put me on to that. Like, I see how it happened with so many other people, but like... I’m pretty sure that movie didn’t end well, from what little I remember, lmao. 682. What are your top 3 priorities? >> *shrug* 683. If you saw fight club did you want to get into a fistfight afterwards? >> I did see Fight Club, finally, but I wasn’t really interested in the physical violence aspect of it. The bit about Tyler Durden and the Narrator being the same person was way more interesting. 684. What is your favorite smell? >> --- 685. Give everything below a humor rating (1 = laugh your ass off, 2 = lol, 3 = smile, 4 = lame, 5 = not funny, 6 = offensive): People falling I’m not going to do this. Context and delivery are generally what makes things funny to me, no matter what it is, and that’s that. Rape jokes Sarcastic comments Blonde jokes Dirty jokes God/religion jokes Long-ass jokes Death jokes Pain/sickness jokes Animals doing cute stuff Bodily functions Knock jokes Ethnic jokes Puns Ironic situations 685. If you saw Cruel Intentions did you want to have lots of meaningless sex afterwards? >> LOL fuck no. I adore that trashy ass movie, though. 686. Do you get at least three hugs per day? >> No thanks. 687. What should someone never say to you/call you if they want to remain on your good side? >> That’s a pretty long list, to be honest. 688. If you saw Trainspotting did you want to do drugs afterwards? >> I don’t think so. I really want to rewatch Trainspotting but I can’t find it on streaming anywhere. It’s so annoying. Maybe I’ll suck it up and rent it (and the sequel) at some point. 689. Do movies have a great influence on you? >> I mean, sure. I’ve seen a lot of movies, and a fair number of them have been emotionally or spiritually or cognitively affecting. 690. Do you have a favorite reality TV show? >> No. 691. Are there certain roles that people are pressured to play in society or can they basically do whatever they want? >> Yes. 692. How does the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake compare to the original movie? >> I don’t know, I haven’t seen either one. 693. Have you ever held a magnifying glass over an insect to burn it? >> I never got to do that. I’m still curious about it, and I swear one day I’m going to try it, lmao. 694. Have you ever pulled the wings off a fly, butterfly or any other insect? >> No. 695. What would you think of a guy (if you’re into guys) or a girl (if you’re into girls) who wanted to take you to the park to feed the birds and look at the turtles and fish in the water on a date? >> I’m fine with going to the park, that sounds like a good time. I love parks. 696. Do you use public pools? >> No. 697. Do you use public bathrooms? >> Sometimes. I usually don’t have to, though. Unless I’m at a bar, lol. 698. Do you use public showers? >> Nooooooo. 699. How old will you be in 17 years? >> 50. 700. Would it effect you at all if you knew that a very large meteor was headed towards earth that would impact in 17 years? >> Of course it would affect me, because I do hope to live past 50. But, hey. Them’s the breaks.

#surveys #survey #5000 question survey

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twygff-blog · 5 years

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That’s What You Get

Prologue.

People who love. This might sound a little stupid to some but bare with me and allow me to explain. The word ‘love’ has now lost its essence from the amount of times we’ve heard it said with astonishing lack of sentiment. But I am not referring to an eleven-year-old’s version of love when they first confess to their crush; nor am I speaking about those words guiltily spat between ground teeth or stuttered in the spur of a moment for lack of a better thing to say. I don’t mean those many whispered ‘I love you’s of someone who just cheated on their significant other.

No, what I fear is much more profound, raw, animalistic even. What I feat is a person who disregards their own life in order to whatever or whomever they love. Those people have a purpose and will do anything to see it through. Just like a parent protecting their child, a soldier fighting for a cause they believe in or anything that can inspire such passion in a person’s heart that the consequences of their actions go beyond one’s imagination. People with a mission and the will to lay down their lives to accomplish it; those are the people who scare me the most. It’s men and women with this kind of drive and determination who bring down nations, who are able to destroy anything in their path; capable of building relationships, entire lives and tear through them with savage violence and not an ounce of hesitation.

But the most frightening part of it is not what they are capable of, it’s the fact that you never know who they are until its too late. You might have known that person your entire life and never had contemplated the possibility. Anyone can be one of these people, one of those who love too much; and you’ll never know until it’s too late, not even if that person is you.

That is the moment these people will stun you the most, when you find that you yourself are one of them, unsuspicious even to your own consciousness, until you realize that you would be willing to do the unthinkable to protect what you love. When you realize, that after all, those things that once seemed so terrible are not anymore, and that if it means safety, then you don’t mind doing them anymore. Not even if it means you will lose your humanity in the process.

I have only seen such drive in someone other than my brother and me, and it took me quite some time to realize it too. I knew Shisui and I were special in some way other kids in the clan were not, that was at least until I met Itachi. The heir to the Uchiha leadership seemed like nothing special when we had first been introduced, he was serious, pensive even beyond what would be considered normal for a four year old. Even I with the extensive training (it was extensive, ok? Cut me some slack I was four) I had been put through at that tender age, was not as stuck up as he was. Turns out it wasn’t because he felt superior to others, as most people outside the clan thought, he was just very insightful and preferred to assess the situation before taking part in it.

“But onii-chan, I already practiced shuriken jutsu and kunai this morning! Why can’t you teach me more taijutsu?”

“Akane, your taijutsu is nearly perfect; you’re the only one who could give Fugaku-sama’s son a run for his money. Your other skills need honing too, you know?” I pouted. I used to do that a lot back in the day, so much in fact that Shisui had become immune to its effects, unlike our grandparents.

I took the weapons basket my brother handed me and once again, turned to face the target hung on the sole sakura tree in our garden. It had become a routine with the passing of the years, after our parents died in the war, Shisui had decided to take my training upon himself; since our grandparents were too old (and in my oba-chans case, too reluctant) for the task. So ever since I could stand up straight, Shisui had attempted to give me the knowledge he had acquired over his few years ahead of me. So far, he had been succeeding, and with my upcoming entrance exam in two years and Shisui’s eventual graduation, we tried to spend as much time together as possible.

The bell hung on top of the front door chimed, snapping me out of my reading induced trance; I marked the page I was reading and put the book under the counter. Chakra control was a very important part of shinobi lifestyle, and I’d taken to read it’s theory after a rather long rant Shisui had gone on after being under graded at the academy. The chunin sensei had obviously been in the wrong, so I was determined to, when the time came, point this person in the right direction and avenge my brother. No one looked down on Uchiha Shisui without facing the wrath of his younger sister, ever.

I let go of my still unborn plan for vengeance as I saw one of my favorite cousins enter the shop.

“Obi-niiiiiiii” I screeched as I jumped down from the stool behind the counter and made my way to him as fast as my short legs allowed me.

I only stopped a few feet away when I saw he wasn’t alone. Embarrassing Obito-nii in front of his friends would not do. I would have loved to force the air out of my cousin with all the force a four year old could put into a hug, but apart from embarrassing him, I would put a blemish in the spotless name of the Uchiha with such childish behavior. So before I could give jii-chan a reason to scold me, I bowed down at the waist and tried to put the best impression of ‘shinobi Shisui’ on my face.

“Obi-chan, Onii-san, Onee-san; welcome to Uchiha Fuko’s armory. What can I do for you?”

“Mah, Akane-chan, no need for formalities, this is just my team. This is Rin, and The gloomy bastard is Kakashi, I call him Bakashi though, It’s more fun that way.” The last part he whispered, shooting me a cheeky grin.

“So you need more supplies for your new mission, is that right? Should I get your usual order of kunai, shuriken and fire conducting wire? Or will you need something else? I heard things are getting rough out in the battlefield.”

I tried to hide my curiosity as best I could, Obito might have been a bit naïve, but I had heard about a silver haired prodigy before, and didn’t want to get caught red handed trying to collect information. Thank goodness, he seemed to think I was interested in the subject, or at least making polite conversation; because he gave no signs of being onto me. Meanwhile both Obito and Rin looked amused by my ‘playing adult’ and had bright smiles on their faces as well as their full attention on me.

Ever since I had first started speaking, I’d found that different words and expressions, got different reactions out of people. Shisui, being the ideal shinobi trainee, had wasted no time in helping me hone that skill. He said information gathering and manipulation were key abilities for a shinobi to have; but that should only be used on the enemy. Of course, being a four year old, my ‘enemy’ was whoever happened to have what I wanted. In this case, Obito-nii and his team.

Obito put his hands on his knees and crouched to my height in order to address me. I, on my behalf stood straighter at attention, like my brother had told me when being addressed by a superior.

“That, Akane-chan, is classified information.” he said slowly, clearly with the intention of letting my brain take in the new word; but I had been in the same room as my brother when he studied, it wasn’t completely foreign to me.

“Rin-san, Kakashi-san, were you two looking for anything in particular? Our shop has quite the reputation for our work with chakra conducting metals.” I said and made my way behind the counter to look for my cousin’s usual order.

“That’s the reason we are here actually, Uchiha-san. Both Kakashi and me are in need of chakra conducting blades.” Answered the girl politely, the gleam of amusement still present in her eyes.

“I am no expert in that specific area,” I said climbing down and placing my cousin’s order on the front desk. “Would you please excuse me while I fetch my grandfather?”

I tried really hard not to get discouraged, my brother was making a huge effort, and giving in to despair would be like throwing it all away. I didn’t care if the clan thought of me as a disgrace; I just wanted to make my brother proud, to make him acknowledge me as a capable individual, someone worthy of being his sister.

I panted hard, trying to regain my composure, as my brother sat cross legged in front of me; leaf still firmly chakra-bound to my forehead.

“Nii-san, this isn’t working!”

I wasn’t trying to be ungrateful, not at all, but there was clearly something I was doing wrong; and it wasn’t only compromising my training and hindering my development, it was making me a burden for Shisui. I never wanted to burden my brother, ever.

“Maybe Obaa-chan is right, maybe I’m no good-“

“Nonsense” Shisui never showed his frustration, not when it came to me; but for some reason, whenever I mentioned the issue with Obaa-chan he seemed really bothered by it. “If you want to be a Shinobi; that is what you will become. It makes no difference if you develop slower than everybody else in the clan. You will not be a career bride if you so clearly don’t wish to.”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before standing from his place on the training ground floor.

“I don’t care if I have to train you myself. We will make an outstanding kunoichi out of you, Akane-chan.” Shisui offered me his hand with a tired smile and waited for me to take it.

I couldn’t help but hug him once I was on my feet. I knew he meant every single word he had said, he always did; and the fact that he so clearly had my future in consideration, showed me just how much he cared, and how lucky I was.

“Thank you Nii-chan, you are the best.”

Shisui smiled right back at me and crouched, offering me his back. It had become almost a ritual; whenever we would be done with afternoon training, Shisui would give me a piggyback ride back home.

“Everyone deserves to live their own lives the way they want to, to make their own decisions and learn from their mistakes. No one is the same, Akane, and even if you don’t agree with them, you should respect the path they have chosen.”

“what if someone makes a bad decision, Nii-chan?” I asked quietly, noticing that I had no need to raise my voice above a whisper for him to hear me. The atmosphere around us was very calm and gave off a sense of warmth and comfort that I didn’t want to break.

“Then you can do nothing but accept that it is the path they have chosen for themselves; and that they will have to face the consequences no matter what. Just make sure you never enforce those consequences out of spite, anger or vengeance, Akane. If someone has to atone for their sins, then let yourself be guided by your sense of justice.”

#Naruto #Fanfiction #OC #Itachi Uchiha #Shisui Uchiha #Family/ Adventure #Slight Angst #That's What You Get #TWYG

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writingsofawanderingwonderer · 7 years

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Game Postmortem: The Heart of Tales

Hello, and welcome to the Behind the Scenes article for my game, The Heart of Tales.

Quick intro here. This will contain spoilers for the game.

I've sorted this article into different parts: WRITING, ART, MUSIC, and the POST MORTEM. Each of those parts has different sections, and so on. You can skip ahead to the sections you want to read about.

Also, I'll refer to the player character by her default name, Hiro.

I tried to keep everything short, but it ended up being this long.

Now with that out of the way, let's begin.

=====WRITING=====

Inspiration: From Baldur's Gate to Tolkien

The Heart of Tales is inspired by various RPG games with medieval fantasy settings. Worlds where swords can talk, and you can take mysterious items to a shopkeeper to identify them. I decided to make The Heart of Tales follow similar "rules" to RPGs than to, say, medieval Fantasy television series. Because of that, The Heart of Tales is more eclectic in its nature (pulling from Greek Mythology, Arabic folklore, etc.--like many Dungeons & Dragon games) than historic or purely medieval European.

Some notable inspirations include the games Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Undertale. I was also inspired by Tolkien's novels and the German folklore surrounding the jester/trickster character, Till Eulenspiegel.

Icewind Dale

In Icewind Dale, there's a scene near the climax of the game where the main villain gives a big speech of how powerful they are. Like in The Heart of Tales, the player character in Icewind Dale has the option to reply to the whole speech with, "Woah."

Undertale

Undertale inspired the idea to let the player choose whether or not Hiro goes back to adventuring or stays retired by the end of the story. To me, it was important that the player was happy with Hiro's choice, so I didn't want to make the choice for the player.

Princess Maker 2

The line in the game where Hiro is rumoured to have been "born from the sky" is a reference to Princess Maker 2,

12 Kingdoms

The idea of a world or continent being divided by 12 kingdoms is a common trope in fantasy stories. In The Heart of Tales, I pictured that the continent is made up of 12 kingdoms, and the closer you are to the 1st kingdom, the more rich and upper-class the inhabitants are. The 12th kingdom would be the poorest.

Jester Till

I like bards. Bards are one of, if not my favourite, class in Dungeons & Dragons games. Neverwinter Nights used them to a good effect (meaning they have a balanced character build), but many other games overlook and/or don't include the bard class.

Till Eulenspiegel is a character who brings bards and jesters into the forefront of storytelling, by making the main character a jester.

Route Designs

I learned from Three Guys That Paint that having three love interests complicates things compared to two love interests. If you give the player three "A or B" choices, then the possible results can be three points to A or B, or two points to A or B. But adding a third love interest creates a programming problem: What if the player gives one point to each possible love interest? Then the game doesn't know what to do! And adding a fourth choice would add further problems.

That's the problem I had when I added Sareth's route.

I fixed this by making Sareth's route unlockable. The player had to pick New Game+ and that transports them to the "gift" choice, skipping the first choice. So instead of three choices, the player gets two. To add difficulty for the player, if they give one point to Sareth's route and one to Mithamoore or Cole, they fall into Mithamoore of Cole's route instead of Sareth's.

Making Sareth's route unlockable also implies that Aemza gets stronger and stronger with each playthrough, which is why he gains the ability to possess Hiro in Sareth's route.

Writing Process

The writing process was very similar to how I wrote Three Guys That Paint and Must Love Jaws. I started with a plot summary of the whole story. I separated the plot summary into scenes, and then I expanded each scene's summary into dialogue and narration. There were about 20 scenes total, and I wrote each scene in chronological order.

Then I took it all into Ren'Py and added coding like sprite movements and sound effects.

Theme: The Art of Violence?

Even though I've never been able to play any of his games (due to platform issues), I admire that Yoko Taro as a creator who makes video games that use the medium to help tell the story, such as giving plot explanations for the player character's ability to save and reload. The game mechanics have an in-universe explanation and the characters have an awareness of it.

In a video interview, he says the following (though note that this is an English translation), "[While working on the original Drakengard,] I thought about the meaning of "killing." I was looking at a lot of games back then, and I saw messages like "You've defeated 100 enemies!" or "Eradicated 100 enemy soldiers!" in an almost gloating manner. But when I thought about it in an extremely calm state of mind, it hit me that gloating about killing a hundred people is strange. I mean, you're a serial killer if you killed a hundred people. It just struck me as insane. [...] You don't have to be insane to kill someone, you just have to think you're right."

Anemza: Writing "True Villains"

I've also been noticing this change in storytelling, particularly in Western animation: More and more stories are having villains who are either:

a) Misunderstood and not really villains underneath, requiring the hero to "defeat" them through non-violent means. The hero instead has to show empathy and defuse tension when they face the antagonist (examples: Moana, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Steven Universe),

Or b) The villain turns out to be a character who was originally displayed as "nice" or "meek" and was thus overlooked by the hero (recent examples include Zootopia, Frozen, Wonder Woman).

At first, I was really frustrated with this; I missed "true villains" from the Renaissance Era of Disney and I didn't know what to make of this new trend with antagonists. I missed villains who had a lot of build-up and screen time. I missed villains like Megabyte (Reboot) that had a grand sense of presence. But then I realized why this change was occurring: It's important to teach people, especially young children, the importance of not just being brave and standing up for yourself. It's also important to teach them the importance of knowing that you can defuse confrontations in pacifist manner.

So even though I gave the game a "true villain" I also gave the message that for every act of violence, there's a consequence.

He's defeated because he couldn't have been changed: A person has to want to change in order to change.

Body Count: Is Hiro a One-Woman Army?

Hiro tells Cole that she's killed at least 447 beings before she "lost count."

To put this into perspective: The average kill count for the RPG D&D game Baldur's Gate is said to be around 1,500 for its full campaign. In that game, you are usually playing as a party of six characters.

Theme: Faith

I was very concerned about getting the romance routes in this game right because I think the romantic elements in my earlier game Three Guys That Paint were one of its weakest points.

So I realized that I had to focus on a specific aspect of relationships. For this game, I focused on the idea of faith in your partner.

Relationships are about sacrifice. It's about changing the idea of "me" into "we." It isn't just about liking what your lover is like. It's also about liking what you're like when you're with that person. Some partners bring out a certain strength in their partner.

The Meaning of 0451

0451 is a "Easter Egg" number used in a variety of games. Originally created as a reference to Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, the number is generally used to state that the developers of the game in question (usually an immersive sim like Bioshock, System Shock, and Thief) has themes of an ideology going wrong. For more information on this number's history and significance, I recommend checking out Errant's Signal's video essay on the topic.

One of the themes in The Heart of Tales is the idea that the main character is suffering from being put on a pedestal--and an ideology--that she no longer believes in. She is 0451. That's why during the climax of the game in Sareth's route, she says, "I am nothing. I am the fourth. The fifth. And lastly, I'm the first..." (Which translates to: "Nothing/Fourth/Fifth/First" = 0451). I mean, a lot of games in general are about a fantasy world going wrong, but I still thought it was an intriguing reference. An ideology crumbling.

Rejecting "Kindness Coins"

"Kindness coins" is a term used in visual novel development that refers to the "points system" often used in romance VNs. The player makes choices to unlock a romanceable character. The more choices they make to please the love interest they're pursuing, the more likely they'll unlock that route.

The term is not thought of highly and is generally used in a negative context: The implication is that, so long as the player acts nicely to the love interest and says what the love interest wants to hear (rather than being honest or properly roleplaying as the player character), the player will "earn" a romance with the love interest.

Which is a rather odd design mechanic, since in real life, being nice to someone to get something from them is not true kindness. And romantic partners in real life are often opposites who don't agree on some things.

In The Heart of Tales, Anemza tries to call out Hiro on her choices, saying that a few simple choices lead to the various routes she walked down. And if Hiro fights a possessed Cole or Mithamoore, they also accuse her of manipulating them. The game raises the idea of "kindness coins are bad"... only to reject it. Because Hiro ultimately defeats Anemza and wins the heart of her love interest, with little to no consequences.

This is because I find the idea that "using kindness coins makes the player a manipulator" is untrue, and that punishing a player for playing a romance game is rather... a bit much.*

It's because I find it similar to the idea that violent video games leads to violent people (which I think is utter tommyrot). People who kill in video games are not killers. They are actors reenacting a play. They are roleplaying. You may as well punish an actor for playing a villain.

The player in The Heart of Tales may be making choices to get a certain outcome (or they may not), but at the end of the day, they are still playing Hiro. And Hiro is the one who falls in love.

* (Footnote: There's only a few games I've seen that have managed to pull off this idea of punishing the player for their well-intentioned choices. And it's usually for playing the game a certain way, rather than playing the game at all.)

Hiro: The Difference Between a Grump and a Jerk

I tried to make sure that players liked Hiro, despite her wanting to turn away Mithamoore and Cole, as well as deceiving to them to try and get rid of them.

To me, there's a huge difference between being a grump and being a jerk. Hiro is written as the former, which I think makes her empathetic to players.

I don't like writing jerk-type characters, so that helped.

Mithamoore: Making a Likeable "Bad Boy"

A great irony with The Heart of Tales is that my last completed game, [redacted] Life, pokes fun at character archetypes found in otome games, including the "bad boy" archetype. Yet in The Heart of Tales, the tropes are played straight, rather than deconstructed.

I wanted to make Mithamoore intense yet likeable. It was a challenging balance to make (after all, he does begin the game wanting to kill Hiro). I think what helped was showing his vulnerability. He's unused to being human, and unused to reacting to feelings of romantic love.

I also had each love interest introduced one by one. I wanted Mithamoore to be introduced before Cole because Mithamoore is more aggressive and therefore would probably be harder to like. That was my theory at the time, but I've discovered that Mithamoore ended up being one of the more-popular routes.

Cole: Putting Heroes on a Pedestal and Hero Worship

Cole's character was influenced by the character Leo from Scrapped Princess, one of the first anime series I ever watched. Leo is a knight errant who struggles with the meaning of chivalry, as he gets torn between his duty as a knight and wanting to protect the main character, who is a princess wanted dead by the kingdom to prevent a dark prophesy from fulfilling.

When I was writing Cole, I wanted his character arc to be about overcoming his hero worship of Hiro. He's placed her on this pedestal that she can't possibly measure up to, and he has to learn to accept that and love her for who she really is.

Cole as a Fighter

Cole constantly quoting from the Knight Errant's Mantra was inspired by the character Double H from Beyond Good & Evil, who often quoted a fictional manual called Carlson and Peters.

His maneuver and defence names, Durer's Defence and Wallerstein's Codex, are references to famed engraver Albrecht Dürer (of the German Renaissance, who made many illustrations on sword fighting techniques) and the Codex Wallerstein (a compilation of three 15th-century combat manual manuscripts). Some illustrations from both can be seen here.

Cole as a Cook

I liked how I made Cole a good cook and made Hiro bad at cooking. In terms of gender roles, the stereotype is usually the opposite. Clinging to stereotypes just doesn't feel as believable to me.

"He Didn't Actually Blush"

I made sure that the characters never blush at any point in the story. Falling back to blushing as a way of showing romance is a big pet peeve among writers. I'm okay with others using it in moderation, but I decided to not use it myself.

Sareth: The Final Piece

Originally, Sareth wasn't a love interest. But after I started posting work in progress information on Twitter and Lemmasoft, several people lamented that they wouldn't be able to date the talking sword.

And the more I wrote the story, the more I thought about Sareth becoming a love interest. And the more it made sense. I slowly went from, "I'd be crazy to write this," to, "I'd be crazy not to write this."

So basically, I blame all of you for Sareth's route. ;)

Inspiration Behind Sareth

The biggest inspiration behind Sareth is Enseric the Longsword from Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark. Neverwinter Nights was the first RPG I ever played, and it's one of the reasons why I love RPG games.

Enserric was a weapon you obtained during an early section of the game (a dungeon created by a mad wizard). Enserric is a talking sword, is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, and had an entire, elaborate backstory (he was originally a mage who got his soul trapped within the sword and left for dead by his fleeing companions). I've also heard rumors that a side-quest was cut from the final game, which involved finding a body for Enserric before his consciousness completely disappeared within the sword.

Like Sareth, Enseric could taste the blood of the enemies he fought, and had a very inflated opinion of himself.

Anemza's Plans

Anemza explaining his plans on what he was going to do to Hiro (before he decided on his final plan) were actually some of the ideas I had before deciding on the idea I went with.

The Shopkeeper is Based on a Real Person

The ambiguously-gendered, mysterious shopkeeper is loosely based off of Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan scholar who widely travelled the medieval world, including Africa, the Middle East, India, Central and Southeast Asia, and China. He has been described by author John Green as "probably the most well-travelled person before the invention of the steam engine." During the twilight of his life, he wrote an account of his journey, referred to as The Travels, which provides a picture of medieval civilization that is still widely consulted today.

[images: Ibn Battuta and the shopkeeper sprite]

What's in a Name?

I actually came up with Cole and Mithamoore's names pretty late. While I was writing the game, I labelled them as Knight and Dragon.

Hiro's Name

Hiro as in hero, get it? Ha... heh... (sheepishly grins)

The following events happen if you try to name the player character these names:

Choosing nothing, or choosing Hiro/Hero:

"Her name was Hiro. And that should have been the very first clue. [name]."

Naming her Mithamoore: "Her name was Mithril. Named after the beautiful metal used for the armour of heroes."

Mason: "Her name was Morgan. Named after the beautiful gemstone from the darkest caves."

Cole/Caldwell: "Her name was Nicole. The name that stood for 'victorious people.'"

Sareth/Sword/Claymore: "Her name was Sara. It meant 'princess.'"

Anemza: (The music suddenly stops.) Anemza's dialogue goes: "I AM THE DEMON THAT COMES WHEN YOU CALL MY NAME." (The game proceeds to automatically quit.)

Shopkeeper: "Her name was Shoppy. A name that evoked merchants and traders."

Jester/Till/Bard: "Her name was Tilli. Named after the famous jester, Till."

Adventurer: "Her name was Farryn. It meant 'adventurous child.'"

Villager: "Her name was Mariko. It meant 'true village child.'"

Poop/Sh*t: "Her name was Showell. It meant 'to shovel.'"

Anti-swearing feature. If you type in some swear words: "Her name was Liliha. It meant 'to angrily disregard.'"

Dave/Davette/Ogu Pigu/OguPigu: "Her name was Davette."

Mithamoore's Name

I looked at Skyrim dragon names to help come up with a dragon name. I wanted something long yet easy for me to remember. ^^;

The idea of giving him the title of Mithamoore the Earthburner was inspired by The Hobbit's Smaug and his various titles.

Cole's Name

Cole's name was probably from Cole Phelps from the game LA Noire, where Phelps is a very straight-laced, follow the rules-type young detective. I wanted to invoke that feeling.

Anemza's Name

Anemza's name I basically came up with by doing the following:

Start with the name Jasmine.

Remove the first letter: Asmine.

Reverse the remaining letters: Enimsa.

Change some of the letters to other letters that sound phonically similar: E into A, I to E, S to Z: Anemza.

What really settled it was when I realized that Anemza sounds like the word "anemic," which can mean "lacking blood or warmth."

So yeah, Anemza is basically the name Jasmine put through a blender.

=====ART======

Inspiration

The Heart of Tales' overall art style was inspired by games like Princess Maker 2 (detailed illustrations with a pixelated texture), Undertale (giving each background a limited colour palette, and associating home with the colour yellow), and older games like Psychic Detective and Phantasmagoria (using smaller CGs in framed boxes).

Art Process

Preproduction

Before I start production work on any game, I create a folder and fill it with images I've found that give me ideas on what the game should look like. I've only learned recently that this called a "swipe folder."

Then I start drawing sketches on paper, and use those as concept art for the final sprites, backgrounds, CGs, and user interface.

[Image: My paper notes]

Index Painting

I used Dan Fessler's wonderful tutorial on creating pixel art through HD index painting.

Basically, the steps are like so:

1) Paint the artwork in Photoshop like you normally do, but using no colour. Only use shades of grey.

2) Apply a Dither layer on top using the Paint Bucket Tool.

3) Add a Black and white Adjustment layer on top of that.

4) Add a Posterize adjustment layer on top of that.

5) Add a Gradient Map adjustment layer on top of that. Edit it to get the colours you want.

I basically reverse-engineered Dan Fessler's Photoshop file that he provides in the tutorial.

Hiro's Design

I wanted her outfit to imply a bunch of different possible backstories, so I gave her puffy sleeves (bard), a tunic with light-coloured trimming (noblewoman), a tunic (adventurer), and a symbol that resembles the game's mouse (implying that she has her own personal symbol).

Mithamoore's Design

I'm not sure where I got the idea for his outfit. I wanted the outfit Hiro gives him to make him look like he values art, culture, and good craftsmanship.

I think I based his hair on Benedict Cumberbatch playing Sherlock Holmes. Which is ironic, because Cumberbatch also played a dragon in The Hobbit.

Cole's Design

Cole's armour design is loosely based off of Leopold Scorpus from Scrapped Princess.

I made Cole the tallest character and gave him armour that looks a lot bigger than himself. I like the "Popeye-arms" effect it gives him.

Anemza's Design

I wanted Anemza's design to look like a creature from another dimension. I looked up animal and monster designs medieval tapestries and manuscript. There are some really bizarre, amusing, and creative designs, so I gave Anemza the body parts of various animals. I made a conscious decision to make Anemza the only animated character, to make him feel more otherworldly.

I was influenced by Terry Gilliam's Monty Python cut-out animation, as well as the designs of the witches in Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and "Omega Flowey" from Undertale.

[images from Monty Python's Flying Circus, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and Undertale]

I specifically avoided using rigging and tweening when I animated Anemza, to give him a more stop-motion quality. I animated the body parts frame by frame in Photoshop CS6.

I also programmed Anemza's sprite to "glitch" at randomized intervals, and in different ways.

[Image: Just a few of Anemza’s “glitching” animation frames]

=====MUSIC=====

The OST music was created by the wonderful Noyemi K.

I asked Noyemi to create seven leitmotifs:

1) A romantic theme.

2) A sad theme.

3) A scary theme.

4) Mithamoore's theme.

5) Cole's theme.

6) Anemza's theme.

7) Anemza's hopeful theme.

I gave a description of each of the characters, and I specifically asked for Anemza's "hopeful" theme to be a remix of Anemza's "scary" theme. Noyemi creating a "glitching," stuttering sound effect for Anemza's theme to give the idea the Anemz's mere presence is breaking the game.

=====POST MORTEM=====

What Went Right

The Characters

I'm glad that players were okay with the idea of dating a dragon and a sword. I'm glad people embraced that.

Portraying love

Ever since Three Guys That Paint, I've been skeptic and unsure about whether or not I could write love stories. The romances were the weakest part of Three Guys That Paint in my opinion, so I wondered if I needed to try again, or if writing romance just wasn't going to be one of my strengths. I'm glad that people liked the romances in The Heart of Tales. I think a lot of it comes from the love interests feeling more fleshed out to me here than Arthur and Terri from Three Guys That Paint.

Original Music

Working with Noyemi K was an absolute pleasure. Players commented on how much they liked the original sound track. I plan on working with Noyemi on a future project.

Persistent Data

"Persistent data" is a term I discovered while making [redacted] Life. Persistent data allows a Ren'Py game to remember previous choices a player has made, and keeps that information, even if the player reloads or deletes their previous progress.

Although I didn't use persistent data nearly as much as I did with [redacted] Life, I did use it for some of Anemza's dialogue (he notes that he knows about players' previous playthroughs). Many players commented on how they were impressed by that detail.

What Could Have Been Better

Getting Ideas Last-Minute

The pro to it was that there was less research notes I wrote that I needed to read through.

The con was that I usually like to come up with an idea and mull over it for about a year or more. After that amount of time, I have a better idea of where I want the project to go.

Here, I had to make quick decisions like adding Sareth's romance route and realising the theme of the central game was faith in others. Feeling my way through the story as I was writing was slower.

Coincidence

The Heart of Tales relies on a lot of coincidence (Mithamoore and Cole meeting Hiro on the same night, Hiro's companions finding the goblins, etc.). Avoiding coincidence is something that I'll have to try to avoid in my future games.

What I Learned

Ren'Py's New GUI

This is the first game I've made using Ren'Py's updated user interface design (I've tinkered with it on Eight Sweets, but at the time of publishing this, I haven't finished making that visual novel). It took a while getting used to it (and a lot of question-asking on the Lemmasoft forums!), but I've ended up really liking it. I feel much more confident using it.

The Three Act Structure is Good for Revisions -- Not First Drafts

An age-old question among writers is, "Is using the three act structure useful?" I think I learned during this project that you can't shoehorn the three act structure into your story. You just plot out the thing, and then you look at it and see if it feels complete. Our subconscious is so used to the three acts that your story will have them anyway.

But if you write the first draft of the plot outline and find that the story feel incomplete, you can go back and use the three act structure to find out what the problem is.

Basically, I had to do that for The Heart of Tales because of how fast I came up with the story for the game jam.

Le Morte d'Author/The Death of the Author

I think it's this game that taught me that there's a point at which I have to stop explaining things to the audience through social media. Either a player "got" what I was trying to say, or they did not, and I failed to explain or show things in a clear enough way. Or the player interpreted something in a way I didn't even think of, and I shouldn't take that away from them because they're using their own experience and viewpoints to interpret the game.

I see this as a fun challenge, because I know that the audience is smart. As Pixar's Andrew Stanton said, "Don't give [the audience] four; give them two plus two." I'll still answer questions if they're directed at me, but I also feel more comfortable to say, "It's up to your interpretation."

I also feel more comfortable letting the viewer "do the work" when it comes to interpreting a thing that can be interpreted many different ways. For example, I never give a clear answer to the hero's origin story. Was she a princess? A farm girl? A bard? Did she come from the sky? Every player will have a different answer to that question.

I think Davey Warden's 2015 game, The Beginner's Guide, made me think about this more. The idea that the player's interpretation often says more about themselves then it does about the creator or even the work itself.

Audience interpretation is a form of interaction.

We Don't Create Our Work in a Bubble

I've been thinking a lot about how my work affects people, and how work I see affects me. I learned that what I create is not made in a bubble. My own experiences and viewpoints affect the work. To paraphrase an old saying, every painting is a self-portrait. I feel like I have a kind of responsibility to make sure that my art helps people rather than hurts.

The Heart of Tales involves themes of the consequences of violence, yet the climax involves fighting a demon to save the day. I guess trying to defuse situations through talking only works if the other is willing to listen too? Like Cole and Mithamoore? Anemza is the personification of evil, after all.

It's also made me think about how time-sensitive my current and future work's becoming. If I made The Heart of Tales a year earlier, it would have been written a lot differently than how it's ended up now. And not just because I learn and gain developer's experience over time.

I know a lot of artists who have said that they are struggling with finding value in their art, or have completely come to the conclusion that creating art to change people for the better is a futile effort, but I don't buy that. I don't buy that because artwork that I've seen, made by other people, has changed me. And improved me. Stories have made me think about judging others by their appearance. About what it means to be Good, with a capital G. About what it means to try and follow your dreams. And stories have been doing that ever since I was a child.

Surely I'm not the only one who's been affected by art in that way...

#video games #history #animation #literature #films #series

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prairie-w0lf · 6 years

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Spiders

This is the first chapter of something I had planned to write approximately five million years ago. I still like the concept so maybe I'll expand on it later, when I'm not riddled with anxiety.

----

The fridge was empty. Well, not really. There was moldy food in there somewhere. That is, if you could get past the inch-thick layer of spiders skittering all over.

It was hard to tell if they were real or not. Magda had done her best to seal the gas out of her house but there always seemed to be a leak and, as a result, there were always hallucinations. Spiders were common. Sometimes they were on the walls, sometimes in the bed, sometimes between the worn couch cushions, sometimes under her skin and in her hair. She hated when they got in her body. She could feel their little feet digging into her muscles, see their bodies moving under her flesh. No matter how hard she scratched, she just couldn’t get them out. When she used tweezers they always evaded her. The spiders were everywhere and she couldn’t get rid of them.

She shut the fridge door and sighed. Usually she would just reach through the blanket of arachnids and take a moldy bit of whatever she grasped first, but there were already tiny lumps moving up and down her arms and she didn’t want any more. Her wounds from trying to dig them out were still very fresh, oozing blood and clear liquid and pus. They would crawl in, the entire lot of them, and take over her body. She couldn’t allow that.

Magda fell into the couch and sighed again. Bugs scurried away. Her dog, Scab, laid his head on her knee and sighed as well. He was an ugly thing - a pitbull with a face only a mother could love. He was big and layered with thick ropes of muscle and riddled with scars. Magda had bought him three-some years ago from the local dog fighting arena. He’d been only a puppy then. Now he was big and strong and a trained fighter, sharp as the edge a blade. He’d taken his fair share of victories in the Pit before the gas threw everything off kilter.

It was time to leave the house again and scavenge. The trips were growing increasingly long and decreasingly fruitful. The town’s resources were running thin, even with the significant drop in population. Soon it would be time to move - an ordeal Magda was dreading not because she feared the change, but because it was such a big to-do. Still, it would eventually have to be done unless she wanted to resort to cannibalism like so many other survivors (which she didn’t actually have anything against, except that it was a health hazard).

She dragged her fingers over her face and stood to proceed into the bathroom. The house, if one could call it that, was small and shabby in what used to be the bad part of town before every part of town was the bad part. Every window was boarded, the cracks sealed with duct tape and strips of cut up tire rubber to prevent the sickly-sweet gas outside from worming its way in. There were two main rooms - one small bedroom and a “living room”, contained nothing but a couch and a small television. The bedroom consisted of a mattress shoved in a far corner, a single lamp that flickered, but was not on because there was no power, and clothes strewn all around the dirty carpet floor. The bathroom, which was only a half-bath because the shower only sprayed orange sulfur-scented water, had a cracked mirror with grime crusting the sides and a toilet that was somehow so crooked it was almost completely sideways. The sink was one someone might find in a questionably sanitary slaughterhouse.

Magda slumped up to the mirror and stared blankly. Very rarely did she actually see herself. So rarely, in fact, that she couldn't quite remember the shape of her own face or the color of her hair. Usually she was an animal - sometimes a pest, covered in mange and foaming at the mouth, but usually a coyote. Which was what she saw today.

She opened the cupboard behind the mirror and pulled out her toothbrush, which was quickly losing its bristles, and a tube of toothpaste so nearly depleted that she had to cut open the tube with her pocket knife to scrape the last little bit from the container. She would have to look for more. She couldn’t afford to lose any teeth - they were a tactical advantage.

Magda didn’t look in the mirror when she brushed. She didn’t want to see her animal teeth. She didn’t want to look into those vibrant yellow eyes, the ones that were more her own now than the blue ones she'd been born with.

She spit the minty foam and brought metallic water to her lips in cupped hands. Gargle, spit, done. She ran her tongue over the chipped front tooth, the crooked bottoms, now smooth and wet, not fuzzy with plaque.

She spit again. Spiders.

She removed her shirt and put her head under the faucet. The water was cold and made goosebumps rise all over, but it woke her fully and was the only way to keep her wild hair from forming a rat’s nest. She considered cutting her hair right off - it was already short and choppy - but she needed it to keep warm for winter. She needed all her body hair to keep warm for winter.

Another few minutes were spent disinfecting the gouges in her arms with vodka and dressing them in cotton bandages.

She pulled her shirt back on and headed for the bedroom.

Magda had a very limited selection of clothing. Everything she owned was composed of mid-toned, drab colors of strong and sensible material. She dressed in layers, the first, which was what she was wearing in that moment, being a brown wifebeater (which she might even remove to wear only a sports’ bra) and fitted black fleece pants usually used for riding horses. They were strong and stretched and wouldn’t get caught on anything. They breathed when exposed to air and insulated when covered by the next layer - fleece-lined canvas pants featuring a ludicrous amount of pockets and a button-up shirt. The last layer was only an olive fleece-lined canvas jacket with even more pockets than her pants. It fit a bit large, but zipped all the way up to just under her chin and wrapped snugly around her neck. It was insulated enough to make her sweat in below-zero weather.

To top it all off, she had a series of smaller accessories including, but not limited to; A gas mask and several filters, a pair of well loved combat boots, a nylon belt to hold all her tools and do-dads, a full hood with a mask to cover her entire face, excluding her eyes, and a plaid ushanka hat.

Everything strewn about was her mother’s, whose remains were still wrapped in black plastic bags in a free corner, sealed tight to prevent rot from escaping. She’d saved them for various reasons, the main being a possible food source if things continued to go south. She reflected that, perhaps, she kept her mother around for sentimental value as well. It was doubtful. Magda had been more of a caretaker to her mother than vice versa. She resented the woman, blamed her for her problems, for stealing away her childhood.

It was mid summer, but the gas blocked out the sun and made the world cold enough to make frostbite a serious concern. She donned the first two layers of her gear, including the gas mask as well as a pair of insulated gloves. The filter of the mask should’ve still been good. Not that a lung-full of the noxious fumes would kill her. It would only make for a particularly awful twenty four hours.

She laced on her boots, buttoned her shirt and tucked it into the waistband of her pants, tightened the straps on her mask and made sure it was airtight, then finally stood and walked back to the living room. Her backpack, which had as many pockets as her jacket and pants combined, was empty and sagged like a sad child against the wall next to the door beside her preferred weapon - a simple crowbar.

Magda loved everything multi-purpose. She loved her mask because it had both incredible functionality and also served as a way to scare away other people. She loved her jacket because it broke wind, kept her warm, and repelled water. She loved her Swiss Army knife because of its multitude of tools all jam-packed into one tiny little oval. She loved her dog because he could watch her back as well as serve as a friend - her only friend, one who didn’t care if she consumed human flesh once in awhile. She especially loved her crowbar because it could split skulls and, to a lesser extent, open forbidden doors and crates and windows. It also didn't require ammunition, of which she had long run out of for her Winchester M-76.

She grasped the bar in her right hand and used her left to sling the empty bag over her shoulder. She had on her belt a canteen and, of course, the same ten-inch Bowie knife she’d used to scrape out the last of her toothpaste only thirty-some minutes before. She owned a vintage .44 revolver as well however, even if it was pretty and powerful enough to blow the better part of a man's face off, the ammunition was hard to come by and it was all around more of a detriment than an advantage to carry around.

She did a once-over of everything she had. All she needed was on her person. Everything else was hidden away under a floorboard. Time to go.

She pulled open the door and a wave of pink-purple vapor rolled in. Magda called it the Haze. It was heavy, almost like a liquid. It was breathable without a mask on, but it coated one’s lungs like oil, gave the illusion of drowning - which probably played a major part in the insanity it caused. It was everywhere, inescapable, and caused vivid hallucinations. Never pleasant ones. These things combined, it was no wonder the majority of the world’s population went mad.

Scab loped out ahead of her, sharp ears back and eyes squinted, nose twitching in search of trouble. The Haze seemed to have no effect on animals, except for birds, which it killed most likely due to their sensitive respiratory systems. How he could smell anything beside the disgusting sweetness of the Haze was a mystery to Magda. She stepped out and tugged the door shut behind her.

She looked around and tried to pick a direction she hadn’t been in yet. The Haze made her memory spotty at best. It left her disoriented and confused and often disconnected from herself. She imagined this was what being on LSD felt like, but she didn't really know. As a result, it was hard to remember where she had been and where she had not. She couldn’t so much as recall what state she lived in - what town? Just that she was in the United States, which was in North America, which was on the planet Earth. Or so she thought. She also knew that she was on the eastern coast given that she would run into the ocean if she went east long enough. She couldn’t recall how far the East coast was from the West coast. If she went straight up long enough, would there be an Up coast? What about a Down coast? North or South?

Magda shook the thoughts from her head. She didn’t have time to contemplate where the ocean was. She whistled through the mask and Scab bounded over from the fallen street lamp he had been urinating on...

#mine #my writing #fantasy #writing #post apocalypse #wowzers

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whittlebaggett8 · 5 years

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Even new Pokémon fans will love the latest video game launches from Nintendo for the Switch, Defence Online

Insider Picks writes about products and products and services to assistance you navigate when browsing on-line. Insider Inc. gets a commission from our affiliate companions when you invest in via our hyperlinks, but our reporting and recommendations are always unbiased and objective.

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Nintendo’s most recent Pokémon game titles for the Switch are lovely and easy to enjoy.

source

Amazon

The Pokémon franchise has occur a extensive way considering that the ’90s. About the many years, there’ve been dozens of Pokémon video games from the much more new Pokémon Sunlight and Pokémon Moon to classics like Pokémon Pink and Pokémon Blue, which had been released way back in 1996. Now, Match Freak, the builders powering the Pokémon game titles, are participating in on that nostalgia with Pokémon: Let us Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, which are arguably remakes of the common Pokémon Yellow but with a number of interesting twists.

So are the new Pokémon games well worth shopping for? With new features and match mechanics, do they compromise on what is often produced the online games entertaining? I’ve been playing Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! on the Nintendo Swap for the previous number of months to locate out.

Go through much more: Why the Nintendo Switch is even now the most impressive video game console 2 yrs immediately after its release

What’s related to past games

If you’ve ever played a Pokémon video game ahead of, the initially few methods like naming your character or deciding on your gender and pores and skin tone are the exact same so points will really feel pretty common. Soon after checking out your household a little, you are going to try out to depart town only to run into Professor Oak, go back to his lab, and get your to start with Pokémon – a Pikachu in Let us Go, Pikachu! or an Eevee in Let’s Go, Eevee!. Both equally variations nevertheless really feel typically like a Pokémon recreation and you will immediately know what is likely to occur and when, but now you’ll get to see it play out on your Television in wonderfully rendered 3-D graphics.

There are slight alterations to the match that make it effortless for newbies to capture on rapid, but there are far more similiarities than there are variations. You will still combat Staff Rocket, battle gymnasium leaders, and make your way via the Elite 4. Sooner or later, you will however be in a position to capture the ultra-uncommon Mewtwo and endeavor to comprehensive your Pokédex. You are going to also get the possibility to practice and evolve the unique a few starters, so if you are a supporter of Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur, really don’t sense like they’re absent from the activity.

Seasoned gamers could come across battles a little easy nevertheless and it is not challenging to make it by the complete video game undefeated if you retain stocking up on merchandise to sustain the health and fitness of your figures. That, having said that, doesn’t necessarily just take absent from the fun. For seasoned players, the entertaining will lie in tapping into that perception of nostalgia even though new players may get pleasure from identifying the origin tale.

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The games are equivalent to their predecessors but with some exciting twists.

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Amazon

What is new

Pokémon: Let us Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! are the most wonderfully developed Pokémon video games at any time. Nintendo has never ever been about wanting real looking or pushing the boundaries of what online video activity graphics can search like, but now the new cartoon-like renderings make the activity appear much better than past variations even though however retaining the attraction that early the online games, Television set displays, and movies experienced to provide.

Most likely the greatest and most significant adjust is the mechanics of essentially catching a Pokémon. In prior game titles, you would struggle wild Pokémon inside an inch of fainting prior to throwing a Pokéball to capture it. But in Let us Go, catching Pokémon is substantially additional like catching them in the cell cell phone sport Pokémon Go. With your Pleasure-Con controller, you are going to mime throwing a Pokéball at wild Pokémon to catch them rather of battling with your current figures (with the a single exception to attain some practical experience factors at the finish). You can also feed them berries so they’re a lot easier to catch or a lot more probable to give you objects, but the over-all catching approach is pretty straightforward. This is by design and style for newbie gamers. Even though seasoned Pokémon players may perhaps however get a large amount out of Let’s Go, the game is particularly constructed for those people who could not have performed a Pokémon game prior to so it tends to make sense for a simplified version.

There are other dissimilarities to activity mechanics way too. For case in point, the extra of the exact Pokémon you capture, the far more experience your characters will get and progress to larger ranges speedier. And just like in Pokémon Go, if you mail your Pokémon back again to Professor Oak, you’ll get candies that can raise their stats and raise their success when battling other people. It’s an appealing transform and a person that’s absolutely sure to be divisive between lengthy-time Pokémon players, but I in fact loved staying ready to “improve” my people that way and it will help make up for the reality that you just can’t fight wild Pokémon in the first spot.

One particular issue to notice is that if you perform Pokémon online games frequently, you are in all probability applied to taking part in them on a Nintendo 3DS. Participating in with the Switch’s Pleasure-Drawbacks can take a tiny having used to, but inside an hour, it actually felt organic and simple.

Study much more: The best Nintendo Change extras you can obtain

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The graphics are insanely beautiful when compared to previous Pokémon game titles.

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Amazon

What we didn’t like

Like I’ve pointed out previously, the recreation could be a very little easy for experienced Pokémon players. That is not to say that the match isn’t enjoyable – it is! But if you’re seeking for a critically demanding Pokémon recreation for the Change, you may be superior off waiting for Pokémon Sword and Defend.

The 2nd concern has a lot more to do with the controls. When the Nintendo Swap is docked and charging, you can only perform it with a single Pleasure-Con controller, which implies fake-throwing Pokéballs. While that can be exciting, often you just want to perform the match in handheld mode or on your Tv set. Sad to say, you can’t do that at present. That also means that you simply cannot use the Pro Controller, which I come across to be the most comfortable way to enjoy the Nintendo Switch. Nevertheless, those difficulties are barely deal-breakers.

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The two seasoned execs and rookies will come across the online games entertaining.

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Amazon

The base line

Pokémon: Let us Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let us Go, Eevee! are fantastic video games for prolonged-time Pokémon followers and new players alike. The video games mix what tends to make Pokémon enjoyable with the electric power of the Nintendo Change and whilst seasoned gamers will need to get made use of to the tweaks, like the lack of Pokémon battles and different stage-up mechanics, people changes are somewhat effortless to get used to. We endorse Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Eevee to any gamer that may possibly be interested in the Pokémon universe.

Execs: Effortless to enjoy, lets players to re-examine common Pokémon video games, nicely-intended, nevertheless appears to be and feels like a Pokémon recreation

Disadvantages: Controller use is not adaptable, game could experience a tiny straightforward for some

Purchase the Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! on Amazon for $54.94 (initially $59.88)

Get the Pokémon: Let us Go, Eevee! on Amazon for $54.35 (at first $59.99)

The post Even new Pokémon fans will love the latest video game launches from Nintendo for the Switch, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

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#Insider Picks 2019 #Nintendo #Nintendo Switch #Pokemon #Tech Insider

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impracticaldemon · 7 years

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First Steps: I Will Love Your Darkness

~ 2750 words

Please read on ff.net, above, or on tumblr, below the image. Reviews, notes and reblogs are all greatly appreciated!

Author's Note

This story takes place between the Battle of Fairy Tail and the Oracion Seis arcs.

First Steps: I Will Love Your Darkness

Freed wasn't around Fairy Tail much after Laxus was banished. There were many reasons, of course.

For one thing, he and his team, the Raijinshūu, needed money to help pay for repairs to both the guildhall and the town of Magnolia. Nobody had asked them for the money; rather, Freed had spoken to Master Makarov the day after the battle for Fairy Tail to say that his team would pay the necessary amounts as soon as possible. Makarov had glared at him, knowing that most of the damage for which they would be paying was attributable to Laxus. But unlike many people, the master of Fairy Tail never forgot that Freed was the leader of the Raijinshūu and entitled to make decisions on their behalf. He also knew Freed.

"You take too much on yourself," Makarov had grumbled. But when Freed had simply nodded politely, that had been the end of it.

For another thing, the wounds caused by his team to the other members of Fairy Tail needed to heal a little before true peace could be restored. Makarov had not condemned the Raijinshūu as he had Laxus, but neither could he force his members to extend forgiveness to those who had harmed them. This was especially true for Freed, whose dark magic had caused them to harm each other. The physical wounds from Laxus' failed attack had been gone within a matter of days; the intangible damage to pride, trust and friendship would take much longer to repair.

The third reason for avoid the guildhall was the least obvious; it was, in fact known only to Freed, or so he'd thought. But when he, Evergreen and Bixlow had returned from their first post-conflict mission, he'd found Elfman waiting for him, and it hadn't been an easy meeting.

"I need to talk to you," Elfman had told Freed curtly, for once not pausing to greet Evergreen, whom he openly admired.

Elfman had been one of the worst hurt during Laxus' take-over bid. He'd tried to break the rules of one of Freed's rune wards, despite being warned against it. Freed's dark magic was tied to the demon within him, and it had insisted that Elfman pay the full price for his transgression. That price was to be tortured to the point of insanity and death. Since Freed accepted that the demon was a part of him, he was in agreement with the popular view that he had tried to kill Elfman in a particularly horrible way.

Freed had assumed—had hoped—that Elfman wanted to punish Freed in some way for what he had done. Unfortunately, the white-haired man had a big heart like his sister Mirajane, when it came to harm done to himself. He'd made his own mistakes, and although he respected strength and courage above all else, he was a good man. He was very protective when it came to his sister, of course. His younger sister had died under tragic circumstances. His older sister was his last living relative and he adored her.

Mirajane had once been one of Fairy Tail's most powerful mages, but at the time of her sister's death she had effectively locked away her power—her demon soul—in order not to cause harm to others. She had withdrawn from participating in missions, and had instead become Fairy Tail's chief bartender (and some said matchmaker). Mirajane was also one of the country's most successful models, and only seemed to gain in popularity each year. It wasn't just her brilliant white hair and beautiful blue eyes, or even her perfect figure that brought her admirers; rather, it was the way that each of those superficial attractions was enhanced by her extraordinary kindness to others.

Freed's attempt to kill Elfman had caused Mirajane to loose her demon soul—not to preserve herself, but to preserve her brother. Demon against demon, they had fought each other with every means at their disposal—and with killing intent. Mirajane had been the victor. And yet… she had not killed Freed. Instead, she had crouched over his bruised and beaten human form and forgiven him. Injured in body and soul, Mirajane Strauss had told Freed that neither of them should be fighting an ally. She had insisted to Freed that they were both still members of Fairy Tail.

So when Freed had told Evergreen to collect their reward for the mission, and had gone to a more private spot outdoors with Elfman, he had expected some kind of challenge. He'd already made up his mind to accept whatever abuse was offered, verbal or physical. After all, he deserved it. That's when he'd found out that his secret reason for avoiding the guildhall wasn't so secret after all.

"I want you to stay away from Mirajane," Elfman had told him, bluntly. "As a Man, I can get over what you did to me. But I've seen the demon inside you now—the one that tortures people—and I don't want it too close to my sister. Don't try to deny it: I've seen how you look at her when she looks away."

Freed had been taken aback. Not even Evergreen had commented on his carefully hidden, not-yet-to-be-spoken-of feelings for Mirajane.

"I think everyone looks at Mirajane, Elfman—she is very beautiful, after all." Freed had kept his poise, tilting his eyebrows up slightly to indicate confusion.

"I know. Make sure that's all it is."

He could have left it there, but that would have been a lie of omission to Freed's careful way of thinking. He was trying to avoid lies with people at Fairy Tail, in order to start rebuilding their trust. So, very reluctantly, he'd pressed further:

"And what if, some day, it's more than that?"

Elfman's arms were already crossed angrily over his broad chest, but now the top hand clenched into a fist.

"Just don't. She doesn't need another demon in her life. She's more angel than demon now anyway, in my opinion. If you think you care about her, remember that."

"I'll remember," Freed had told him, careful to be polite, but not deferential or apologetic. It was a fine line to walk.

The big man had stared at him hard, trying to gauge what he meant.

"I wish you hadn't fought her like you did," Elfman finally said. "She's too nice to people and she felt sorry for you."

"No," Freed had replied immediately. "She offered me friendship—or reminded me of it. And she felt compassion, because she knew that I was going to suffer either way—whether Laxus won or lost. It wasn't pity, it was understanding."

"So you did fall for her. I thought so. Well, I've said my piece." With a last scowl at Freed, Elfman had stalked back into the guildhall.

Freed had wished that he could set things straight, but it was still too soon. More time needed to pass. The wounds were still too raw.

He didn't even try to talk to Mirajane, except in passing, until returning from the team's third mission after Laxus' banishment. It had been more difficult to wait than he'd expected, because she had been puzzled and hurt when he had avoided her. The problem was that the attraction didn't only go one way. Maybe Elfman had understood that—maybe that's why he'd been so concerned—but just in case he didn't, Freed wasn't going to enlighten him. Not until people were better prepared to respect how Mirajane felt. Freed's feelings in the matter were secondary.

After the third mission, though, he'd decided that enough was enough. He couldn't balance everyone's needs indefinitely. He considered speaking with Elfman ahead of time, to warn him that he wasn't going to "stay away" any longer. However, while this approach would be honourable from one point of view, it would be wrong to speak to the lady's brother before the lady herself.

This time, once he had turned in the proofs for the mission and collected the team's reward, he had gone over to the bar and waited for Mirajane to be free. It didn't take long, since he'd deliberately come when things weren't busy.

"Hello, Freed. Staying for a drink today? That's unusual."

Her voice was quiet and held a trace of sadness. Freed was suddenly anxious to straighten things out as quickly as possible.

"I'm not here for a drink…"

"Oh? Meeting somebody, then?"

"Ah, yes, in fact—"

Their eyes met, blue looking up into lighter blue, and there was a moment of near-perfect understanding. Mirajane brightened.

"Shall we go for a walk?" she asked.

"Yes…" replied Freed, smiling a little. He hadn't wanted to smile in a long time.

Mirajane didn't even try to find somebody to cover the bar. Instead she gestured to Freed to follow her out a back-way that opened onto a tree-shaded lane.

There was nobody around, but Freed waited until they had left the track and walked some ways from the guildhall before saying anything. Then he stopped and faced Mirajane, his face serious. Without fanfare, but with considerable grace, he took her right hand in both of his.

"I care about you a great deal, Mirajane. I hope you'll believe me."

"I was beginning to think I was wrong…"

"I was worried that it was still too soon."

"Why?" Mirajane asked the question quietly, but with considerable force.

"Because of… many things. What I did to your friends and family was terrible, and there is still a lot of resentment around. If nothing else, I make other guild members uncomfortable. You're sensitive to these things and might want me to keep my distance for a while longer. But even just between the two of us you might have thought it was too soon…"

Freed tilted his head thoughtfully as he tried to explain. "You might be worried that your attraction to me is just sympathy invested with the trappings of something more significant. Or you might be concerned that my feelings are merely the result of enchantment, and lack depth. That would trouble you, since one tends to wake up from enchantment."

"Enchantment?" Mirajane's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What do you mean?"

"You demonstrated overwhelming power and then unstinting compassion. Anyone might be enchanted by that."

"Why is that a bad thing?"

"You want me to explain it to you?" Freed was honestly surprised. Before Mirajane could snap at him, though, or draw her hands away in irritation, he just nodded. "Alright… It would be a bad thing because feelings based on enchantment tend to evaporate the moment the enchantment wears off. Worse, the enchanted person feels as though they have been tricked when their idol doesn't live up to expectations. The difficulty is that you are used to enchanting people; you know that you do it. You have been adored for many years now. I think that has made it difficult for you to distinguish between genuine, romantic affection and infatuation."

"Do you mean love? If you do, then use the word. It won't hurt."

"…Mirajane, the word 'love' can hurt in many ways." Freed's expression darkened and grew distinctly uneasy. He took words very seriously.

Mirajane held up a hand. "I take it back. You're right. It's a messy, dangerous kind of word, isn't it?" All at once she looked rather forlorn. "Please finish what you were going to say. I have a feeling that I'm just trying to put off hearing the truth. I've seen others do it often enough—ask the question but not really want the answer, I mean."

Tentatively, Freed brushed some wayward strands of white hair back from her face, and then renewed his clasp on her hand. His own hands were strong, and the right one bore callouses from using a sword, but the overall impression was of long, elegant fingers and well-defined bones and tendons. Mirajane focused on his fingers as he spoke, finding it unsettling to be the one seeking rather than dispensing understanding. Vulnerability made her shy, she realized.

"Before you were Mirajane the much beloved, you were Mirajane the Demon. I remember the Demon quite well. You were often angry and destructive, and rightly feared by just about everybody. You never realized how closely I watched you then, understanding your fear of the creature inside you—the one that Master Makarov insisted was just a type of magic, no different than any other type except perhaps in power. Being able to shut away that frightening and frightened girl after—forgive me—Lisanna died must have been a relief."

Mirajane shivered slightly, but otherwise didn't comment. Seeing that she wasn't going to respond, Freed continued.

"Because of your past—having been so much feared and even disliked—you know better than most how wonderful it is to be universally adored."

There was a small puff of laughte from Mirajane: "Almost universally, Freed. Erza and I still have our moments."

"The point is that you only allowed the Demon to come back as an absolute last resort to keep me from killing your brother. You were probably terrified as well as enraged. So…"

Mirajane sighed. "So it's fair for you to worry that I might not be ready for—how did you put it—'genuine, romantic affection' when it comes to the person who forced me to uncage the scariest part of myself."

"You won't be getting away from demon magic around me," Freed said simply. "I don't want either of us to live as pale shadows of what we really are."

"I'd rather be loved than be powerful."

"As you have proven, but… Why not try for both?"

Mirajane finally looked up, straight into Freed's intent blue eyes.

"That was implied use of the really messy, dangerous word, you know."

Freed sighed and put his hands on Mirajane's slim shoulders.

"Mirajane Strauss, I think I'm in love with you. I know I said—when we were in battle—that it takes a demon to master another demon. Well, I doubt that this demon"—he indicated himself—"can master you, but he is going to try very hard to love you for everything that you are, both the light and the darkness. I'm not sure if anybody but a demon could do that."

Leaning down, Freed kissed the soft lips of Fairy Tail's darling angel, and dared her to become his demon lover.

[EPILOGUE]

"I told you to stay away from my sister," grumbled the tall, white-haired man, arms once again crossed over his muscled chest.

"True," agreed the slim, green-haired man standing beside him, apparently unintimidated.

"And you didn't."

"Your sister's wishes were and are more important to me than yours, which is as it should be. Also, she needs me."

"Why?"

"Because I am at ease with her darkness, even when she isn't; she doesn't have to be perfect for me. Also, unlike you and the rest of Fairy Tail, I want a lover, not a mother."

"WHAT?!"

Freed gave Elfman a smile that was charming, if not apologetic. "I meant that figuratively, of course."

"Like hell you did!"

"You are going to have to decide whether you want what is best for her, or what is most comfortable for you."

"If you hurt her…" Elfman mumbled, still unhappy with the situation but starting to give in.

"I can assure you that I will be either dead or damned by that point—but you are welcome to jump on the pieces if it will help."

Elfman pondered this briefly, and then he held out a massive hand. "Yeah, I think it might, actually. Deal?"

"…Deal."

[END]

A/Note:

Your likes, reblogs, feedback and encouragement would be greatly appreciated!

If you have time, please leave a note—even if it's just a word or two. Or send me a question or comment by PM/Ask if that’s better for you. I hope to write at least one more piece for MiraFreed Week 2017. They're challenging characters, but worth exploring.

#fairy tail #mirafreed #mirafreed week 2017 #fanfiction #impracticaldemon #prompts for day 1 and day 2 #angel demon #raijinshuu #strauss

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treehugginglibrarian · 7 years

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What the ----? Though Name Art Hypocrisy

Trump Supporters Want Ideology Test for Extreme Vetting.

So says the title of an article on NPR. I’ve included the link to this wildly, insanely, absurdly, almost dangerously hypocritical opinion right here:

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/02/04/513289953/trump-backers-want-ideology-test-for-extreme-vetting

The fact that the article exists doesn’t bother me. Articles like this are supposed to exist. I want the news. I want to know what’s going on in the world. What concerns me is that there are people working in Washington DC, making laws that will govern this country, who genuinely fail to process, comprehend, or understand how troubling levels of hypocrisy this high truly are.

{"It means a kind of ideological screening to keep out people who hate a free society even if they are not violent," says Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank that supports tighter controls on immigration. Krikorian met with Trump during the campaign and backs the president's executive order as a "corrective" to the vetting system in place during the Obama years.}

People who hate a free society? You mean, like the Evangelical Christians who want to force prayers into public school, force women to carry babies to term (no matter what, and no matter the consequence), and force queer people back into the shadows, lacking in rights and relegated to the status of ‘second-class citizen’? People like that? Because as a non-religious outsider looking upon the changes that many Evagelicals want to foist upon the American constituency, they seem at least as guilty as the Muslims the President is trying to keep out and, based upon actual actions taken once in this country, far guiltier. Muslims in this country have not tried to prevent gay people from marrying. Muslims in this country have not tried to strip the teaching of known scientific theories out of public schools. Muslims in this country have not tried to make birth control completely inaccessible while simultaneously stripping women of their rights to access abortion. Muslims in this country have not tried to replace the teaching of evolution with the teaching of their religious beliefs in public schools. These are ALL things that various sects of Christianity have done. Not only are we not condemning these Christians as people “who hate a free society even [though] they are not violent,” we have a President who is actively working to expand their reach within our government and political sphere. So no. Keeping out Muslims because they “hate a free society” is load of shite, and anyone with a working brain should see straight through it.

As for the vetting that took place in the Obama years, these folks need to make up their minds. Either the vetting that took place, the “ban” that Obama instituted, was comparable to what Donald has done and liberals are thus hypocrites for protesting now and not before (they protested before, too), or the ideological vetting, the Muslim ban, the Trump wants to institute right now is, in fact, different. It cannot be “different” and “the same.” It cannot be “no worse than Obama’s ban” while simultaneously serving as a corrective to Obama’s ban. The fact that this administration felt Obama’s “ban” needed a corrective is proof that, NO, this is not the same thing. If Trump was doing nothing more than Obama had already done, Trump wouldn’t need to do anything at all, since the “ban” Obama put in place is, in fact, still in place. It’s a vetting system that has never been lifted.

{In an interview with NPR, Krikorian said he backs an ideological test that poses questions for refugees in the vetting process including, in his words, "Do you think it's okay to kill apostates? Do you think it's okay to throw gays off of buildings? Or if Islam's Prophet Muhammad is insulted, there should be a punishment?"}

NO. Absolutely not. You do NOT get to politicize my love for the sake of discriminating against another group of people, particularly when you, yourself, would be all too happy to see gay people in this country lose a fair number of the rights they have struggled so hard to garner. Until you are out on the protest lines with us, or at the very least encouraging the President NOT to sign executive orders stripping us of our rights to exist peaceably, asking whether Muslims think it’s okay to throw us off roofs is little more than taking our names in vain. You’ve already thrown us under the bus, why do you give a single fuck if Muslims entering this country want to throw us off a roof? A desire to do so, a hatred of our “sin,” hardly means they WILL do so- a fact that Christians in this country remind us of EVERY SINGLE DAY.

As for taking the Prophets name in vain, I find the idea of an administration as thin-skinned as Donald’s even contemplating this question to be a completely laughable notion. We’re talking about an administration led by a man who takes to Twitter every time a comedy TV show insults him. He is the most powerful man in the country, possibly one of the most powerful in the world, and he wields that power by attempting to crush citizens who speak out against him. You’re worried about no-name Muslims being angry when people insult their Prophet? Look around you, you incredible hulk of a moron. You have significantly bigger fish to fry in the “are you overly sensitive and snowflake-ish when the things important to you are insulted” category.

{Trump's executive order on immigration appears to refer to these views by declaring the United States should keep out those with "hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles" and "those who would place violent ideologies over American law."}

Oh, you mean like Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists? No. Of course you don’t. Both of those groups are white, and everyone of intelligence knows that none of these rules apply to white people. No matter how violent or opposed to American law the ideologies of those white people are.

{In recent interview with NPR, Gaffney laid out his view that Islam is a national security threat not only because of violent jihadists, but because of what he sees as "this stealthy, subversive kind of jihad" practiced by groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood. Gaffney claims the Brotherhood's stealth aim is to impose sharia, or Islamic law, in the U.S.}

I beg you, please explain to me the difference between “sharia law” and “whatever the fuck Evangelical Christians are trying to impose upon our country” is, because as a queer woman, I’m failing to see a damn difference anywhere. In both systems, I’m oppressed as fuck. I’m a second class citizen as a woman. I’m a third class citizen with no legal right to equality, at all, as a queer person. Admittedly, I don’t want to live under sharia law. I would fight any Muslim community that tried this shite with the furor of thousand, overly angry, fiery suns. I don’t think a government that is rapidly handing control over to a group of Neo Nazis that were voted into office with significant help from a religious sect I have taken to calling the “American Taliban,” really have any space to gripe about the notion of sharia law on our shores, though. Sharia law is already coming, if they get their way. It’s just coming in the guise of Christianity and white, wealthy, Jesus. For most of us, though, the end-state is the same. Oppression under a religion we want nothing to do with.

{"People need to know this is going on," he says, noting that civil liberties groups are working together, sending squads of lawyers to airports in support of passengers detained for questioning. "They no longer see it as a Muslim cause," he says. "Jews, Hispanics, African-Americans — everyone is asking, who's next?"}

This is, perhaps, the one silver lining in this grotesque display of white, male, fragility; people with the ability to affect change are realizing that bad shit really is happening, so they’re getting out there and they’re affecting change. Maybe, just maybe, if we can stop this insanity before it goes one step deeper, before Lord Emperor Marmalade takes us another step down the most unAmerican rabbit hole imaginable, we stand a chance of saving the reputation of the American people, if not the reputation of America itself. The reputation of our country was pretty well obliterated, in the eyes of most every other country out there, the minute we elected him. If it’s all the same to the government, the Donald, and the American Taliban, I’d like the reputation of our people to remain intact. I have a lot of traveling to do still, and I’m not in the mood to spend the rest of my life apologizing every time I land somewhere new.

It’s worth noting, that none of the above objections even begin to touch on just how thought-police-esque this entire notion is. The same people who begrudge the notion of political correctness on the basis that it is, in their opinion, a form of thought-policing, are advocating for literally policing the thoughts of people coming into this country. We are reminded routinely by racist, homophobic, xenophobic Trump supporters that they are entitled to these “opinions” about people who are different from them, and that the mere act of calling them “racist,” “homophobic,” or “xenophobic” is, in effect, liberal suppression of their thoughts. It would appear as though the oppression of “free-thought” is only bad when their’s are the thoughts that are being oppressed. Thoughts that don’t align with their world views, however? By all means, don’t just oppress them, prevent them from even entering the country.

Land of the free and home of the brave, eh?

Motherfucking hypocrites.

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operationrainfall · 5 years

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Title Luminous Avenger iX Developer Inti Creates Publisher Inti Creates Release Date September 26th, 2019 Genre Action platformer Platform PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One Age Rating T for Teen – Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco Official Website

I’ve been a fanboy on the Gunvolt bandwagon long before Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX. Not only did I play the first two games, but I also reviewed them both on the site. So in case there was any concern about my credibility talking about the series, let’s put that to rest. The initial question I had when I heard about Luminous Avenger iX was how far after the second game it took place. As I played, other significant questions came up, though there’s not much I can discuss for fear of spoilers. That said, I will do my best to touch upon those issues for other fans, as well as tackling the gameplay itself. While I’m still a fan of the Gunvolt series after Luminous Avenger iX, there’s also a few bumps in the road I need to address.

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As I stated above, it’s unclear how long after Gunvolt 2’s events that Luminous Avenger iX takes place, but things have definitely taken on new urgency. Now, Adepts are completely in power, and go so far as to hunt down and execute un-powered humans, referred to as Minos. Whereas I used to think of the Azure Striker Gunvolt series as a nod to Mega Man, now I can’t help but notice the similarity to the X-Men. In a way it’s a reverse of that comic series, a world where the super powered rule over the weak with cruelty. At the head of this dynamic is the Sumeragi Institute for the Promotion of Human Evolution, which is a group that should sound familiar to fans of the games. It’s not clear how this came to be, nor where Gunvolt himself is, but Copen’s not about to sit back and watch this atrocity continue. While his primary goal is to find the source of something called the Butterfly Effect, he also elects to protect a group of young street urchin Minos. Despite his often caustic and emotionless exterior, I found this was consistent with his personality. After all, he himself is technically a Mino, and his hatred has always been against Adepts. The key difference between him and your average Mino is his technical genius, which let him build Lola to copy and utilize Septima powers through mechanical means.

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Much like Inti did with previous series such as Mega Man Zero, each installment of the Gunvolt games has become slightly less hardcore and more welcoming to players of various experience levels. That is true in Luminous Avenger iX. An example of this is that the game has gotten rid of individual achievements. You still get graded after each level, so worry not if you’re a hardcore completionist. It’s just now you don’t have to worry about satisfying other arbitrary requests. Much like the last game, I found it somewhat easier to get a good score than in the original Gunvolt game, but not so easy I ever felt I wasn’t working for it. I got plenty of B’s, a few A’s and even one shining S+. The reason it’s still a challenge is that the gameplay is pretty similar to the most recent game, meaning that the bosses are still quite challenging.

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In case you need a refresher course, the game keeps the trend of tagging and then blasting foes. For Copen, you tag foes by literally dashing into them. You have a small window of invincibility when you connect, so you’re encouraged to be aggressive, but don’t be so aggressive you accidentally wander into enemy fire. When you tag a foe, it uses up a Bullit, of which you have 3. Once you’re out of Bullits, your Prevasion turns off, meaning you can take damage again. So combat is a tight balance of dashing into foes, hitting them with homing rounds, avoiding getting hit and rinsing and repeating. One nice new change is if you reload your Bullits in mid-air, you’ll charge down to the ground with a crash capable of breaking objects. Though you’ll have to be careful using it, since if you don’t land on solid ground, it’s game over.

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I’ve said previously how much I enjoy playing as Copen, and that’s still true. He’s fast, furious and frankly brutal. Coupled with Lola’s Septima EX weapons, he’s a veritable Swiss Army Knife of mayhem. Even then, playing him requires great reflexes and better strategy, especially against the bosses. One thing that’s changed from previous games is Copen can’t use credits to buy new active combat abilities. There is a Customize screen, where you can buy things like additional Bullits. You can also buy passive modifiers, such as Regenerator, which restores Copen’s health when he uses his SP Skill, or OD Guard Up, which halves damage when in Overdrive mode. If I sound a bit uncertain about these, it’s cause I didn’t purchase any of them during my playthrough. I like playing a game in as pure a form as possible, and for me that meant learning to master Copen without any extra helping hand. That said, if you’re the sort that likes to tinker, there’s a multitude of options for you to try out. If you’re feeling brave, you can also try out Lola’s new Darkness Trigger, which puts her in berserk mode, attacking with random EX skills until her meter depletes.

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While the combat is most definitely one of the biggest draws in Luminous Avenger iX, it would be meaningless without exhilarating boss fights. This game assuredly carries on that tradition, as it does the pattern of having 7 main Adept bosses you confront. While I normally don’t cover these in detail, I feel I should touch upon all seven Falcons real quick. First let’s talk about Rebellio. He’s on death row for crimes he committed, and Sumeragi decides to offer him a deal – kill Copen and live. His Septima is Energy Wool, which lets him create crimson constructs out of thin air, such as mace balls, gatling guns and more. As for his appearance, he looks like nothing so much as a very angry Ram. Then there’s Crimm, a psychopath who loves explosions and considers himself an artist. His Detonation Septima lets him rain pure destruction wherever he desires, gesturing with crustacean limbs while protected by a circular shield. Then there’s Stella. She may look like a floozy and talk like a sailor, but she’s actually the president of an electronics manufacturer. Her Septima is Gravity, which not only gives her the power to alter your movement, but to also manifest dangerous buzzsaws and energy beams. Of all the Adepts in this game, her transformation is the most mechanical, making her look like a living blade.

More Falcons on Page 2 ->

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If you think Stella’s a hard case, then you should see her android manservant, Dystnine. He’s the only robot capable of using Septima, other than Lola, and his is particularly strange. His transformation makes him look like a mix between a unicorn and a bullfighter, and his Vectored Cloth Septima allows for some very interesting tricks, such as blocking attacks and tangling you up. Beyond just being a skilled fighter, he’s also completely loyal to Stella, to almost a romantic degree. Or take one of my personal favorites, Isola, who is essentially an evil Idol. Think Hatsune Miku but pink and insane, and you’re on the right track. Her Septima is Companion, and while you might not think she’s that dangerous, you’d better watch out before Isola shatters you with bright pink lights and holograms. If you feel like a tough guy, you can try on Bakto for size. He’s essentially a Yakuza boss, and his Spiral Septima turns him into a fierce, blue lion man. Lastly, there’s Blade. Blade is incredibly powerful, and doubly so when outraged and in berserk mode. Unlike the other Falcons, Blade seems to not be entirely in control of their actions. But don’t let that lower your defenses, since you’ll need all your skills to beat this recurring boss character.

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Frankly, I really enjoyed all the Falcons in the game, and felt they added a lot of personality and depth to the story. Especially since they reveal how diabolical Sumeragi has become. Most of the Falcons are only working for Sumeragi cause they’re forced to. Hell, Rebellio is on death row unless he can finish the job. Despite being in power, this shows how out of control and desperate they have become, a fact which becomes painfully apparent very late in the game. I can’t say why, but once you find out the truth behind the Butterfly Effect, you’ll hate Sumeragi with a burning passion. And by the very end of the game, you’ll question a good many things about the Gunvolt universe.

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As much as I loved the Falcons, I’m not sure I can say the same for all the Minos. They’re all adorable, especially self proclaimed pixie leader, Kohaku, but they just don’t feel that relevant in the game. Sure, Kohaku and her history serves a purpose, but the rest of them kind of feel like kawaii Charles Dickens knockoffs. Maybe if they got a bit more development I wouldn’t feel that way, but frankly I feel this is a pattern in the Gunvolt series. We get introduced to a new band of side characters each time, and very few of them actually matter. Which is a shame, since there’s so much I otherwise enjoy about the games.

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Visually, I can easily say Luminous Avenger iX is the most beautiful game in the series. Everything is bold, colorful and full of detail. Though I would never call the original 3DS graphics ugly, everything is so much better on Switch. Even the menus are attractive, and I really like the portrait art as well. As for the sound design, it’s also fantastic. The music is dynamic and draws you in, and the sound effects pop with personality. One of my favorite changes here is that now dialogue happens at set points in the level, and NEVER during combat. This is such a great improvement, and shows Inti Creates listens to fan feedback. It doesn’t hurt that all the voice actors in this game are tremendously talented. If we were grading this game just on the artistry, it would easily get a perfect score.

I know typos happen, but they still take me out of the experience…

Sadly, there are a few areas I feel Luminous Avenger iX falls short. Firstly, it really bothers me that I’m not sure if this game has different endings, as is tradition. While I can’t go into reasons why this bothers me, suffice it to say that some of the late game revelations really have me scratching my head. I would almost go so far as to suspect this game takes place in an alternate universe, it’s that big. But without knowing that for sure, it’s hard to ascertain how much I enjoyed the story at large. Another area that my lack of clarity irritated me was with the Bonus Medals. There’s 4 in each stage, and I’d love to tell you what they do, but I have no idea. While it’s true I did apparently unlock some Special Missions at some point in the game, I’m pretty sure that had nothing to do with the Medals. A more substantial gripe I have is with the translation. I usually don’t point out this sort of thing in the games I’m fond of, but it’s unavoidable here. Not only do some characters have very awkward grammatical flubs, there’s also some weird Westernization that occurs. I mentioned Bakto early, and how he’s essentially a Yakuza boss. I said “essentially” since in the game, he’s called a Mafia boss. Problem is, everything about him screams Yakuza, from his name to his demeanor. This wouldn’t bother me, except for the fact Inti Creates usually waves their Japan flag pretty high and proud. It just struck me as awkward to change that sort of thing, especially since fans of the series can tell what’s up. Lastly, a recurring issue I have is with the leveling system. It still feels too passive and unnecessary to me. It’d be one thing if leveling up did more than increase your base health, such as opening up modifiers you can equip or something. As it is, I just don’t feel that’s necessary at all for a game this fast paced and frenetic.

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I did truly enjoy Luminous Avenger iX, but I can’t help but feel it wasn’t consistently awesome in every regard. The plot left more questions than it answered, and while the combat was definitely a lot of fun, I wanted more of it. Perhaps that’s because the last game had two protagonists instead of just one, but regardless there should have been something more to keep me playing. I managed to beat the entire game in a little over 3 hours, though I spent another 2 and change to try and find a secret ending. While I didn’t succeed in unlocking any new endings, there is still a bit of replay value. Those who like to tinker can unlock a lot of customization options, and truly hardcore fans can try and get an S+ for each stage. There’s also the aforementioned Special Missions, which are basically remixed forms of stages with harder boss fights. For $14.99, you still get an amazing game with Luminous Avenger iX. I just hope that the next adventure does more to explain the setting of this title, as well as to expand on the areas the series already excels.

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[easyreview cat1title=”Overall” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″]

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REVIEW: Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX Title Luminous Avenger iX

#Azure Strike Gunvolt #Gunvolt Chronicles #Inti Creates #Luminous Avenger iX #oprainfall #PC #PS4 #Switch #Xbox One

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briangroth27 · 6 years

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Justice League Review

I really wanted to like this. While I hated Batman V Superman, I found good points in both Suicide Squad and Man of Steel despite their flaws and absolutely loved Wonder Woman, which immediately became one of my favorite superhero films. I wanted to believe DC’s films were on an upswing with Patty Jenkins’ movie, but even with low expectations, I wasn’t a fan of Justice League. I don’t think it’s terrible, but I did think it was very boring.

Full Spoilers…

Justice League’s plot was fine and made sense—perhaps minus the convenient weirdness of a parademon leaving the impression of Mother Boxes on a wall when it blew up at the beginning—but didn't thrill me at all. I liked the friendlier tone of the movie and its superheroes, even if not a lot of the jokes landed for me. The effects were good, but the action wasn't memorable. I can't help but compare this to The CW’s latest DC crossover, Crisis on Earth-X; the four-part crossover did have a more luxurious runtime with an extra hour allowing them to do more, but each episode was packed full of engaging characters and moments that made me cheer and geek out. Justice League had none of that. The CW's multiverse is definitely my preferred DCU.

The problem here wasn’t that Batman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and Flash didn’t get solo films first. If Justice League were the same film with previously established characters, it still would’ve been boring. You don't need to give each hero a separate movie to establish everyone before teaming them up. Suicide Squad proved that, though that film should’ve trusted itself not to reiterate who everyone was three times over in the first act. Justice League could’ve easily introduced iconic versions of these heroes as established superheroes in their corners of the world (enough people know Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman at least to understand the gist of them), had Cyborg go to them for help controlling his machinery, and then used him as our eyes into the world of DC’s biggest heroes. Instead, what we got was several half-baked character arcs, an uninteresting and lackluster villain, and forgettable action. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) was great as usual, but I hate that they reiterated that she'd been doing nothing (at least in public) between World War 1 in her film and BvS. I wish she'd responded to Batman (Ben Affleck) calling her out about not being a public hero with a retort about working all those years in secret or something (I refuse to believe she sat out World War 2, for example). At least it didn't seem like people were surprised to see her when she stopped the terrorist attack in her introductory scene, so we know she's been active since the epilogue of her film. I also didn't like that they confirmed she's Zeus' biological daughter ("you have the blood of the old gods") rather than magically-imbued clay (her film left it open-ended, with Ares calling her the child Zeus and Hippolyta (Connie Nielson) “made” but not elaborating on what he meant or giving her a major reaction to that comment), unless Zeus' blood is what brought the clay to life. It was bizarre that they seemingly depowered her so much against Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds); how can she defeat Ares alone but not this third-stringer with help? There’s no reason a demigod like her shouldn’t be on Superman’s level, and if the only reason for depowering her is to justify the need for Superman, that’s a failure on the writing level. I would be all for Diana leading the League, so I was disappointed that even though they set up an arc about that with Diana being unsure of herself in any leadership position, it was still Bruce's show in the climax. Her reluctance to lead was an interesting wrinkle to her character and bit of reflection on Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) I didn't see coming, so I'd definitely like that explored more. I did like her respect for Superman (Henry Cavill), though as I saw pointed out elsewhere, more time spent with him in BvS (or at least some kind of line about her following the impact he was having on the world) would’ve helped to sell that connection better. I thought Cyborg (Ray Fisher) had the most interesting arc of the heroes: his cybernetic body parts were taking over his body and continually upgrading him, but into what? That was a fresh spin on the routine “am I still human?” cyborg question and I wish they had expanded on it more. Those upgrades should’ve been a much harder struggle for Vic to fight against, but once he joined the League that concern was almost totally forgotten. It seemed like all the pieces were there to neatly wrap his constant upgrades into the Mother Box plot; perhaps his cybernetic body could’ve attempted to help Steppenwolf or even just sped up the planet-destruction by working against Vic and the League to unite the Mother Boxes, since his cybernetics were created by a Mother Box. This would’ve given him a fight to control himself, but the movie just let him take control anyway without even attempting to explain how he could suddenly control the growth and development of his cybernetics in the epilogue. Assuming his fight with his cybernetics isn’t actually over, I would be interested in learning more of his story and watching him struggle with the idea of what he's becoming vs. what he wants to be. There’s a solid solo film in that idea and I’d definitely be down to watch it. As for Flash (Ezra Miller), I didn't feel like much of anything about his character was justified. The Batman of this universe was a dark, violent, paranoid murderer who branded criminals (knowing they'd get killed in prison for it) and tried to kill Superman. That's pretty much the exact opposite of someone this Barry would look up to or think is cool. Barry finally getting a job at the CCPD didn't feel motivated by anything he wanted—he was clearly into science, but he also wasn’t investigating his mom's murder at all—and it just seemed like a more permanent job to appease his father (Billy Crudup) than the result of a drive to prove his dad innocent or even just to contribute to society by pursuing justice in his day job. If lines referring to his attempts to solve his mom’s murder were cut out of the film, fair, but from what was on screen he definitely wasn’t trying to do that; if he were, getting his iconic crime lab job would’ve been about finally getting to look into that case officially instead of just being “hey I got a real job.” Barry’s refusal to move forward in life in any way was just...disappointing, and the film gave no real reason for it. I'm not sure why he was characterized as the scared one in battle situations, when he seemed much more confident in his cameo in Suicide Squad and his powers allow him to see any danger in slow motion; “inexperienced” doesn’t have to mean constantly overwhelmed, as the Justice League cartoon’s cocky Flash handily demonstrated. The kind of fear the movie saddled Barry with would’ve been more suited to a Cyborg whose power usage allows his cybernetics to overwrite him faster or to Aquaman (Jason Momoa), who literally admits he doesn’t want to die by getting involved. I also don't get why having no friends was necessary for Barry’s character. He makes a comment about people being “too slow,” so I could understand super speed being such a burden if Barry couldn’t turn it off, but he clearly can in this movie. Instead they focus his loneliness on not understanding people or their affection for things like brunch, which…if you don't understand or like brunch, just don't go to brunch. That disconnect from society seems like such a weird choice for what’s arguably the friendliest character in the comics’ Justice League. Barry could've been just as eager to join Bruce’s team because it would be fun, an adventure, or simply the right thing to do. Getting into the world at the end of the movie with his new job would’ve felt like more of an accomplishment if there was more to his societal disconnect in the first place, or if he’d found a greater understanding of other people by the end. Miller got a few fun moments/lines and delivered them well (particularly his confusion and surprise about Clark seeing him move at super speed and their competitions), but while he was likable and I give them props for trying something new, I wasn’t a fan of this direction for the character. Grant Gustin’s still my favorite Flash, though I’m glad there’s one for every fan. Even though I didn't like the Batman of BvS, I appreciate that they used his actions there to fuel his growth and development here. That's what I wish they'd done with Clark in BvS in the wake of killing Zod (Michael Shannon) in Man of Steel. That said, it would’ve been nice for other characters to comment on Batman’s 180 from killing criminals and his significant change in demeanor; have all those actions just been forgotten and forgiven? I wish Bruce had pushed Diana to be the leader more; they could've used his "Superman is evil and must die" blinders in BvS to justify Bruce doubting himself and his leadership choices. They could also have shown Bruce struggling to trust people with god-like powers to be actual heroes, fighting the urge to create defensive strategies against his own teammates (which would’ve been perfect had Cyborg’s robotic components had a mind of their own) and/or insisting on being the leader. I did like that he seemed very humbled here instead of the uber-confident and insanely prepared Batman of the past two decade’s comics, cartoons, and movies. I loved his comment about Clark living in the world while he hid from it; his insistence on raising Superman from the dead absolutely felt more like guilt than just a strategy for defeating Steppenwolf and that was perfect. While it would’ve certainly helped if BvS showed us more of the hope Superman specifically was bringing to the world, I liked that Bruce voiced the lack of hope he was feeling and that he realized he couldn’t do the same for the world (though it makes no sense that, say, Diana couldn’t have stepped up to that “protector of hope” title). I smiled at the use of Danny Elfman’s 1989 Batman score, but scoring a scene of “evil” Superman with John Williams’ iconic theme didn’t make much sense. While I do like this evolution of Batman better than the character Affleck introduced in BvS, I’m pretty Batman-ed out and am not really looking forward to his solo film purely because there is so much Batman out there already. I'm glad they finally brought some warmth and humor (and bright color!) to Superman. His introductory cell phone "interview" was well done (even if, as I’ve seen pointed out elsewhere, giving offhand interviews and talking to civilians was not something Man of Steel or BvS established in their depictions of Superman; if anything, he actively avoided explaining himself until it was too late). I'm very glad I was wrong about Clark being brainwashed into being Steppenwolf or some other evil force, since that would’ve given us a third “dark” Superman in as many movies. I do wonder why (and when) Barry went back in time to tell Bruce about Lois (Amy Adams) being “the key,” though, and the League’s fight with the revived Superman felt much more obligatory than exciting. The race with Flash was fun though, I’m glad they focused on evacuating bystanders, and I really liked Clark’s reunions with Lois and Martha (Diane Lane). I wish the film had taken the time to have Clark deal with the idea that he was essentially carrying the entire world’s hopes on his back and to show us his reaction to the loss of hope in the wake of his death. Just dealing with coming back to life (beyond a joke about feeling “itchy”) would’ve been an interesting moment. I liked that his powers were on full display throughout the film, though again I don’t think he needed to be so much more powerful than the rest of the League. I didn't think the CGI removal of Cavill’s Mission: Impossible 6 mustache looked weird. It was weird that Bruce and Clark didn’t seem to care about their secret identities at all; they both had open conversations in front of total strangers about their superhero alter egos and Clark walked around the farm without his glasses on despite an army of movers there. Kent is going to have a very awkward conversation with Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) about his resurrection too; I wonder if they’ll gloss over that. Either way, I think I could definitely be talked into giving Cavill’s Superman another shot in a solo movie. I fully believe he could give an excellent performance of a more iconic Superman with better material. Aquaman was mediocre. My favorite version of the character is the Batman Brave and the Bold “Outrageous!” adventurer king, and this was similar, but ultimately I wasn’t pulled in by the character as presented here. I did like the moment where he accidentally sat on the lasso of truth in front of the team though. Arthur not wanting to die was an understandable motivation for not helping at first, but I wish we'd gotten an idea of all those other things he wanted to do with his life and a better arc of him getting over his fear of a premature death. Similarly, taking responsibility for the Atlantean Mother Box felt offhand and underdeveloped; I’m not really sure why Mera (Amber Heard) wasn’t on her way to following Steppenwolf when Arthur showed up (maybe his arrival interrupted her exit?), prompting Arthur to really argue his case for why it should be him pursuing their enemy when he’d spent so much time avoiding Atlantis and his place there. In light of his showing here, I'm not really looking forward to his solo movie next year. I also wasn’t thrilled that they seemed to be embarrassed of Arthur’s ability to talk to fish and downplayed it. I didn't like that both Diana and Lois were so completely crushed by the deaths of Steve and Clark. They both seem like they should be stronger than that (Diana even got up after it and killed a god!). Mera was fine, but neither she nor JK Simmons as Commissioner Gordon got much to do. Alfred didn’t either. Steppenwolf was so bland and poorly drawn as the villain. His CGI wasn’t the best and they isolated him from large groups of civilians for the most part, lessening the connection to the world-destroying threat he actually posed (endangering one nameless family we see and many we don’t isn’t the same as unleashing him in a city). He had no argument with the heroes (even killing Amazons only resulted in a few flashes of anger in Diana and his attack on Atlantis had no effect on Arthur) or a belief system that clashed with theirs beyond "I want to destroy this planet." His motivation was that he’d been banished from Apokalips, so they could’ve elaborated on that to make him a better foil for these outsider heroes—particularly Diana, Clark, and Arthur—and how far they’d go to fit in, but didn’t. For some bizarre reason, the writers instead chose to give him a plot that looks for all the world like a rip-off of the Infinity Stones. Why not just do Darkseid if they had to go to the alien well (or better yet, Brainiac)? I think it would've been smarter to do the Legion of Doom here. They could've said the Legion wanted to take advantage of the fact that the biggest hero was dead by swarming and wiping out the rest once and for all; Lex was even already spying on all of them! You'd already have built-in animosity between the heroes and their villains, a simple reason to explore each of the heroes’ homes/lives outside their costumes, a villain team-up isn't something Marvel has done yet, and you'd have a variety of villainous personalities with personal vendettas and different abilities instead of a tall guy with an ax and a faceless horde of parademons (who were no scarier or more menacing than Ultron's drones or the Chitauri) collecting Mother Boxes. Speaking of the parademons, at least some of them were innocent people and not one of these heroes cared about killing or curing them.

At this rate, I hope they don’t do Darkseid at all. He’s been used as the ultimate DC villain far too often and it doesn’t seem like he’d be very different from what they just did with Steppenwolf. Apokaliptan forces didn’t prove to be impressive or imposing here either. Hopefully the sequel—if there is one—will bring an awesome Legion of Doom battle (the second post-credits scene certainly implies this is happening) and will continue the series’ upward trajectory. On a side note, I’m annoyed that apparently the film division won’t let Arrow use Deathstroke again because he’s involved in the movies; what’s the point of having separate universes if both can’t use all the characters? This is especially silly given Arrow was using Slade long before the movies wanted to.

Justice League may have dropped the ball on using and exploring (or even finishing) the interesting character arcs it introduced, but at least the DC film writers have good ideas at the core of most of the characters they’re playing with. The movie left me eager to see more of Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and Superman in their solo films. That said, this movie should’ve been treated like it was the only film in the DC cinematic canon coming out in the near future, not a springboard for everyone’s spinoff films (that was also rushing to compete with Marvel’s Avengers). They should’ve all had arcs that concluded here, rather than just taking half-steps toward their “real” development in their future films. Hopefully DC’s stated lack of focus on strict continuity will allow them to take greater strides in character development in each film, rather than parceling out a single arc over several movies. This movie proved there are interesting, unexpected stories to tell with these characters while ushering in a friendlier, more classic tone, and I hope future DC films learn from Justice League’s missteps to fully realize the full potential of these heroes.

Check out my other blogs, opinions, and original short stories here!

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