#but also they'd probably want the player to get them as part of the story as happened in most of the previous pokémon games which

[jq37]

I'm like genuinely interested as someone who thinks a lot about the craft of critique and fandoms the ways in which the current Rat Grinders discourse shows why you can't really apply the same lens you use to critique a pre written story vs an improvised actual play show by a bunch of comedians who are first and foremost concerned with committing to the bit. Like Porter's a great example of this, he went from a nothingburher to secretly evil with a whole lore and backstory!

In the same vein the Rat Grinders probably could have turned out to be not as culpable in all of this had the Bad Kids really tried to bond with them, but instead they focused on other things with the way downtime was structured! And because they did that they could pass the Last Stand, and are safe from Porter's rage thing! Like legitimately I really liked the mechanics of downtime this season, it just also came at the cost of developing the Rat Grinders!

(Though to be entirely fair, the BKs did try to engage with Oisin, Ivy, and Ruben and then Oisin launched the house, Ivy was racist, and Ruben still attacked Wanda so)

I think it's really fascinating from a storytelling/game design perspective! The downside is the Discourse is so tiring

Yeah it's interesting. I covered some of this in other asks so I'm gonna hit on the stuff I haven't yet.

If you're telling a story that is based partially on user input, it's not entirely fair to be like, "This subplot was underdeveloped" if the reason for that was that the players didn't make choices to facilitate that development. When DM's push hard for the players to care about things they're not interested in, they get hit with railroading accusations.

And even outside of the player choices, there are also the rolls. A BIG part of D&D is the randomness of the dice. Even if the players care about something, it doesn't mean they'll get it. I'll mention again that Kristen tried to roll Insight on Buddy before the final fight and got a Nat 1. What is she supposed to do? Roll again until she gets a good read on him? That's not how that works. If the dice aren't cooperating, there's not much you can do. And you can make sure your big story beats don't rely on dice but at the end of the day they *will* shape your story in ways you can't control.

Another key thing about the medium, as you pointed out, is things can change on the fly. The confluence of high rolls and serious interest can change things that were behind the screen canon in an instant. In Burrow's End, Aabria planned for Bennet to have a family but as soon as Tula/Brennan expressed interest in romancing him, she Thanos snapped that family out of existence. I don't know how much Brennan wanted the Rat Grinders to be recruitable but even if he'd planned them all to just be foils and evil and nothing else, I can totally see him flipping one if they'd really wanted to and it would have made for a good story beat.

Anyway, yeah! Interesting stuff to think about. Even though D20 often feels like a TV show, it's important to remember that it's a different beast in many ways.

#i do wonder how much brennan wanted the rat grinders to just be people for them to have fun hating #bc if he wanted kristen to clock s/t in buddy he easily could have given her advantage #or let her use her passive wisdom #there's a roll this season where he let her roll like 4 times for the same thing #and then adaine and fig ALSO got to roll #but this it was like nat 1 moving on #that plus the fact that none of their investigations have turned up anything very sympathetic doesn't really scream 'TRY TO REDEEM THEM' #asks #a-salty-alto #fantasy high #d20 #dimension 20 #and yeahhh that's why I don't engage in discourse #i just answer asks #I pay taxes I can't be arguing w/ ppl online about fictional teenagers

[front-facing-pokemon]

#dracozolt #both More and Less snootiferous angles under the cut‚ for your viewing pleasure #now we're getting into the like. most fucked-up fossil pokémon. the fuckin Amalgamations you can create for some reason #it was like. cool. but a part of me always wished we could also have the original versions of these guys. just to see what they looked like #all together. with their rock typing 'n everything bc fossils are always rock-types #i guess this was their way of making fossil pokémon that aren't rock-types‚ then #did gen 9 even have fossil pokémon? i can't even remember hold on #aahh yeah. no fossil pokémon in gen 9. seems weird but also kinda makes sense? #like i'd say “oh it seems weird given the open-world nature of the game‚ finding those would be a super fun adventure” #but also they'd probably want the player to get them as part of the story as happened in most of the previous pokémon games which #would defeat the purpose of the game being open world so i guess it makes SENSE they didn't include fossil pokémon #i'm just! surprised i didn't notice until now

[theramblingvoid]

It's missing Bag a Legend hours

#fallen london #apparently some parts of it don't make sense with greater lore or something idk but consider: i don't know the lore #all i know is it gave me Some Type Of Feeling when my character tried to hunt a monster based on curiosity alone #and found themself the only person who could even have a bare chance of undoing this...monster yes but also political figure #nightmare. near-god #a once in a thousand year chance and the way the writing gives you the full knowledge that you did not get there by skill #the nuns were training for much longer. april probably could have made the bomb herself #in fact it almost feels like the player's position in bag a legend relies on them NOT having the skill #less skill and knowledge than willingness. simultaneously disposable and essential #and for Hallowrove it was still a story about wanting to know #but it became more than just curiosity about a monster few had seen and instead shifted to #wanting to know whether this could be done. whether /they/ could do it. test the kind of power they'd been subject to #in one form or another for a lifetime #and see if it would actually give way. and if that giving way would actually turn out to MEAN something #and it did. the rulers are killable. the chain can be broken #and it didn't. the Bazaar still holds power. if anything more comfortably without their murderous colleague #but it made them uneasy. uneasy in the same way every person of London is every day #knowing that they're in the power of something so far above them in strength and so far from human as to see them as collectables #and for the player personally just. the sheer amount of time and effort you have to put into making that little tilt #the held breath feeling that this is a two sided hunt and you could die at any moment #the way it's such an ever present element all through the story that you are so far from the only or first person to try this #idk it just #aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa #bag a legend does things to me. i could write an essay #multiple probably #however i won't. because i don't know the Lore and people would so get on my ass for it jdhfjfjs #bag a legend spoilers #voidrambles

[saltymongoose]

Cont. From This Post. (@cosmica-galaxy Hey, here you go lmao <3)

[This part contains: Bandits, MERC, the Nexus Core, Fanatics, N51, and Demoniacs]

To continue from where we left off when it comes to the Bandits, it would do well for the Player to be very hesitant on interacting with them. They're cannibalistic and violent, in addition to being the first to attack whenever they catch a glimpse of the Player's unofficial bodyguards. (Though that might be for the best, with Hank as their opponent.) In this way, it's unlikely for the Player to have much of a motive to get closer to them; the boys are so protective that a situation where they'd actually be able to befriend one of the more nonviolent members probably won't occur without serious effort.

In the same vein, the Bandits know very little about the Player, and they probably don't have much of an interest in them at the moment anyway. Typically their thoughts are more centered on their own survival and where their next meal is going to come from, which leaves little room for thoughts of an otherworldly being impacting their lives directly. If anything, they're more startled by the Player's entourage than the reason the SQ agents are in the area. Due to this, it would be difficult for the Player to form much of a bond with them simply because they won't cross paths very often. (And they would also probably be fearful if they did; the Bandits do not want to end up as additional victims of the wanted criminals that protect the Player.)

As of this moment in the story, the members of MERC are also in the same camp of not knowing about the Player - save for one person: Sheriff. Christoff has mentioned this "Player" to him once or twice, and while his words have been exceedingly positive (and almost idolizing) when discussing them, the Sheriff doesn’t know very much beyond what the Savior had told him. As a result, he himself thinks kindly of them, but not from his own experience. However, because he doesn’t know much about the Player, he never bothered to divulge such information with the others in MERC.

The Player, at this point in time, knows far more about them than vice versa, which makes them more likely to go out of their way to befriend them. Plus, it’s not like those in MERC are inherently hostile like with the Vamps or Bandits, and they have no real reason to go after the Player (save for their mission to interfere with Hank, Deimos, and Sanford getting into the city). So long as Sheriff and Jeb have a good relationship with the Player, the MERC members will have ample opportunity to make friendships with the otherworldly being in question. (Unless the SQ's leader and agents get in the way.)

Regarding what remains of the Nexus Core, they still follow Phobos' orders, which means that they probably will be hostile to the Player because of their choice in company (the SQ and Dr. Christoff). Even if the last thing that Phobos would ever want is for the Player to be harmed by his own organization (that just reflects horribly on him), he never actually made his people aware that the Player exists, which leads to this situation. The Player also has no motive to get in the way of the boys' mission to put a stop to Project Nexus, which would naturally puts them at odds with the Nexus Core anyway.

As a result, it is in the Player's best interest to avoid the Nexus Core's remaining personnel, which doesn't leave much room for bonds or friendships. While it is possible for some of their members to act cordially around them if the boys aren't around, I would say that it isn't worth the potential risk. Luckily the NC being unaware of the Player's existence means that they won't immediately go after them, but they're certainly not as open to outside partnerships of any kind at this point. They still have a project to complete, after all.

Crackpot's Fanatic faction is an interesting one; they're physically separated from most other Nevadans and almost entirely absorbed by their obsessions with buoyancy and Zeds, which means the chances of them knowing about the Player's significance are extremely small. The only way that the Fanatics would have their interests piqued is if one of them happened to see the Player exorcising some of their abilities (which is possible) - at which point, the Player would also probably end up as an object of their fascination. (Especially if the Fanatics happen to see them using their cheat that enables levitating. 😬)

As a result, the Fanatics' purpose for trying to get close to the Player isn't exactly for friendship itself, although it could turn into this with enough effort. Another likely result is for them to start worshiping the Player much like they do Crackpot instead (which their existing vessels would loathe, but that's a given). Regarding Crackpot himself, as detailed in previous posts, he might also try to use the Player for his own benefit given how power-hungry he is, but there is a chance that they can form something more genuine with him. If they're willing to put up with his self-grandeur, of course.

To get more on the Player's side of things, their curiosity might drive them to investigate the Fanatics more. The group's behavior is questionable, but there is a lot about them that remains unknown to those who play the game, so there's always that avenue to explore. Plus, seeing how Crackpot interacts with people who give him the respect he's always felt he deserved would also be intriguing. Again, if they're willing to put up with all the weirdness that comes with being close to the Fanatics and their leader.

Moving on to the N51, it's one of the most mysterious groups in Nevada, especially from the Player's standpoint. They're a faction that wasn't even created by Mr. K, so they're definitely pretty unique, even if they don't play a huge role in the Arena Mode storyline. I can see the Player having an immense interest in them as a big fan of Madcom (especially if they keep up with the communities' fan projects), so they'll probably want to dig deeper into the organization. However, they would probably have great difficulty with that, considering that the N51 is a covert group.

That being said though, the N51 is shown as hunting for tech related to the more powerful forces of Madcom's universe, like the AAHW, NC, and even The Machine. I would presume they do so because they want to know more about the Employers, enmeshment, etc. but truthfully their reasoning for this is unknown. What this does tell us though is that there is a chance they would be interested in the Player's existence primarily because they're a supernatural being of unknown origin - and a very powerful one at that. Whether this attention would be good for the Player or not is another matter.

Finally, we have the Demoniacs. These guys worship Stygian, and they have little to no contact with any other factions, which already cuts down the chances of them hearing about the Player to almost zero. Their interest in the supernatural is really limited only to their chosen Employer, and as such, they don't have much incentive to seek out information about the Player either. However, if Stygian decides to order the Demoniacs pursue information about them, it's not like the cult would ever consider refusing. There are uses to having fiendishly devout worshipers, and Stygian knows this very well.

The Player would also be aware of the Demoniac's servitude towards the Employer from their experience playing the game, and as a result, would probably seek to avoid them the same way they avoid the AAHW. They're very low on the scale of potential friendship, if only because of their affiliation with Stygian.

Aaand I think that's it if we're talking about faction relations lmao. Though do let me know if I missed any groups, and I'll be happy to discuss them as always. 👍 :)

#heyo I got some more lore for you all 🤟 #ask #cosmica-galaxy #samau #self aware m:pn au #longest ask response ever 2023

[confoundedluna]

can't sleep and brain is on overload so i'm breaking out what is possibly a Controversial until dawn opinion

I don't believe Emily and Mike physically cheated on Matt and Jess with each other.

there's a Ton of evidence seemingly contradicting that, sure, but when you look at it it's Incredibly circumstantial and not the full story

Mike and Emily hugging after she tells Matt she's going to find Sam?

we never actually hear what they're talking about, it could have been a friendly greeting, or hell it could have been comforting because, y'know, IT'S THE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FRIENDS DISAPPEARING AND IT'S KINDA THEIR FAULT

if they were cheating, surely they'd kiss, rather than a pretty chaste hug? okay, sure, there's the risk of being caught, and Ash does of course see them, but I don't really see anything romantic in their body language (though that might be just me)

Emily getting all jealous and possessive and picking a fight with Jess in the lodge?

I don't think that's coming because her and Mike are secretly involved still, I call that Maybe some lingering romantic feelings from what was likely a shitty breakup and mostly bitterness that her best friend is dating her ex that just a year ago she was helping deter another girl from

the big kicker some people whip out is the unpopular dialogue choice when the fire tower is falling, if Matt saw them through the viewfinder, in which Emily basically admits to cheating, right?

except. she doesn't.

her voice in that scene is the biggest thing to me. most of the time, Emily is angry. aggressive. but in that scene, she knows she might die, she's Terrified, and her only hope of getting to safety is yelling at her insistently that she's cheating on him.

"Christ, Matt, we were just talking!" and 'I- I was confused!" and "Please... Matt, I'm sorry!" are her most important lines in that scene, and her delivery is Desperate. she basically whimpers before her stuttered "I", which makes sense. most of Matt's non-choice dialogue, of which there is admittedly very little, makes him sound like a peacekeeper, a mediator. the way he tries to placate Emily when they first arrive, or how he apologises to Ash after scaring her? not the aggressive, fight-starting guy the player can make him be.

so to be Screaming at her in a life or death situation? she knew there was no getting through to him, and she had to say what he wanted to hear if she had any chance of him getting her to safety

none of her words are an outright confession, just enough to Seem like one, and hopefully be apologetic enough that he'll save her so they can talk later, back on safe ground

the "confused" line I call back to 'Maybe lingering romantic feelings leftover from a recent shitty breakup', I haven't heard many cheating confessions so I don't know how many try the confusion justification, but I don't think it fits here

(also, confirmation needed, but on a video I watched of this fire tower scene, I saw a comment saying the devs confirmed she's lying here about actual physical cheating having happened? I don't have a source for that if it's true, but if anyone does that would be really cool and helpful)

and on Mike's part, I look to simply every single thing centred around Jess he did in the game. which was a Lot. they have such a great dynamic, he's clearly very devoted to her, desperate and broken and angry when she's taken and he can't save her, and I just don't see him cheating on her at all, not even with Emily.

so, yeah. while there might have been some emotional stuff left on Emily's end, which does make her kinda shitty since she's with Matt, I don't think they did anything physical while committed to other people like some think they did. Mike I think too devoted to Jess and probably unwilling to go back to Emily, probably associating the relationship with the twins' disappearing. Emily I think does genuinely care about Matt enough to not act on any possible leftover feelings, and this is speculation on my part but she probably wouldn't even if she's just using Matt as a Mike replacement because she's so bitter at Jess for 'stealing her man', but wouldn't want to do the same thing in return to her because she thinks she's better than that i.e better than Jess.

if y'all think differently, I'd love to hear why! or, if you agree with me, I'd still love to hear more! I love thinking about this kinda thing and hearing other people's perspectives

#until dawn #emily until dawn #emily davis #until dawn jess #jessica riley #until dawn mike #mike munroe #rambling 2am thoughts for y'all lmao

[seldaryne]

"Wyll's quest regarding the Wyrmway is now a subquest instead of part of his main quest."

"Wyll's quest regarding Ravengard will now more reliably and frequently receive updates in Act III."

so mechanically speaking then, was the demotion of quest status in the first point required for them to implement the functionality of the second or??? because i genuinely don't understand why it became a subquest, especially when the game's structure already allows you to just ignore quests & move on to the next area if you want. most of the patch notes that directly mention wyll are bug-related or scripting flow, which i don't have a problem with (bug fixes are great, we love those). i'd love to hear any thoughts about this, though, because i really can't think of a reason why it had to become a subquest?

i also initially read that second point as planning for future updates to wyll's content but at a second glance i think it may just be referring to journal updates? i don't know, i'd like to believe my initial reaction was the correct one but... yknow. anyway i maintain that this is yet Another example of some really goddamn weird choices on the developmental end of things. if the companion quests exist on a sliding scale of 'most related to current main storyline to least,' wyll is very much at the top end of things. optimistic thought is that a lot of his scrapped content existed in the parts of act 3 that were cut, but i would think that as a studio you'd see that & make an effort to level things out with how much screentime the other companions have. at the bare minimum, your player base shouldn't be able to clock so many weird holes in his story arc where it's clear that something else was supposed to be offered.

i'm also not saying that the other companion arcs weren't clunky in some areas & didn't need a bit of help, but the disparity here makes deprioritizing those edits seem like a more logical course of action. like there's a difference between some slightly unpolished scenes vs. something that feels fundamentally lacking in a lot of structural ways, especially when you get into the finer points of the comparisons. act 3 imo is the one that feels the most bare-bones to me. like yes, there's Stuff there visually and quests too but it doesn't feel as lived-in as acts 1 & 2. i would say that the underdark to ketheric section feels the most dense, content-wise, and i don't think it's a coincidence that it's the bracket of the game i enjoy the most. i maintain that giving wyll's storyline the attention it needs would not only help with the character arc itself, but also pad out the quieter stretches of act 3. at this point i don't really see how they'd be able to add in the upper city without either completely changing the trajectory of the third act (so like, almost definitely something we Will Not See Happen & understandably so from a production standpoint. weird post-release editing aside, it is still a finished game.) & i'm also not sure what a DLC would look like here because the main story feels pretty complete too. off the top of my head, maybe one where you follow wyll & karlach into avernus would work, but that's worldstate dependent & probably wouldn't get made for that reason.

all that to say, from where i'm standing it really seems like giving wyll the same respect other companions are offered would by extension fix some of the act 3 issues, without having to release an entirely new area of the game (i'd love it i just don't think it's realistic lmao). like i know why/what the factors are that led to wyll getting the short end of the stick, it's bullshit but it's not the first time we've seen black characters handled unfairly by devs (& fans), but beyond that it's literally just. so confusing to me on the basis of writing alone. why wouldn't you use the character with that many ties to the titular city of the game more? why isn't he more integral to the story when it really seems like he has every reason to take the spotlight in certain areas?? like that's a fantastic resource of a character to use to move the narrative along and Yet.

idk. this started off as just a reaction to patch notes but it's so unbelievably frustrating to watch it keep happening every patch.

#like when you KNOW why but my brain still refuses to comprehend?? bc its so Dumb on production's side?? #there feels like there's so little flavour text for him even like... idk. #anyway thats my thoughts on patch 6 #new kisses are nice menu qol fixes sound good now please do something about this #like put it on the list or something. #bg3 #no really like does anyone know why this is now a subquest. what does this mean have any of you seen this in other games.

[sweetpea-sprite]

what even happens in cross worlds? I tried playing it but got overwhelmed really fast

god. so. so many things.

i record cross worlds' story and upload it to youtube so you can watch the actual thing over there if you want. however if you don't want to (understandable) here are my personal highlights

the main plot of the game is that you sign up for a beta test of a vr game but it turns out the company is actually just sending people to ni no kuni. they're doing this by taking your soul and putting it into the body of your soul mate, so they have two souls, and you get put in control - your soul mate's soul is dormant. eventually drippy takes them out of dormancy and you speak to them for a bit and after regaining their bearings they wish you luck and just hang out in there now. this is, admittedly, sick as hell

your soul mate's best friend and the drippy/lofty of this game, cluu (who i love. sorry to all cluu haters out there but he's my guy.) doesn't know you're a "player" (what the people who signed up for the beta are now called) until a few chapters in. i do wish they'd done more with this but when he finds out he's confused and horrified but eventually says you have the same goal as him so he wants to keep travelling with you anyway

there's this fun little found family dynamic between two players, varum (who in ichi no kuni was a no life gamer (his words.) and now in ni no kuni he's a fucking raccoon who leads a band of players who stick together to find solidarity (because they thought they were signing up for a game and now they are in a DIFFERENT WORLD AWAY FROM THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY)) and tariq (a player who is a middle schooler who joins varum's troupe. i just enjoy him.) i don't have much to say on them i just like them

ZERA. was a developer on the "game" who was the first ever tester on it and hasn't figured out a way to get home in TEN YEARS. she's been living in ni no kuni introducing ichi no kuni tech and trying her best to get home. she is ever so important to me. girl we will get you out of there

i literally completely forgot to mention edelian and envie who were rivals at the same magic academy and now edelian works for evermore's guard and envie is part of the main villains (who are working to break up evermore into separate nations i think...???? i can't actually remember.) yeah they're yuri

if cross worlds was good and more popular cyrus would be a tumblr sexyman. that's all i have to say on the matter

LUXERION!!! luxerion is my favourite character as he is an immortal world keeper (the world keepers are like. they keep the peace/balance of the world and there are five and they each have one of the elements assigned to them. also they're dragons) and he's the world keeper of light and he is responsible for the destruction of a kingdom and he would DO IT AGAIN!!!!! but he regrets that he had to because he found a child's pocket watch in the rubble and cast insight on it and saw the kid's memories and now he's kind of fucked up about it. also at one point he's like "i'd cast travel to take you to this place but i haven't been there since they relocated due to a recent flood :( sorry" and then you ask around for where this place is and the girl you talk to is like "are you talking about the great goldpaw flood from hundreds of years ago." i love you luxerion

god there's probably more i just can't think of it right now. the issue with cross worlds is that the story and characters are PRETTY GOOD. pissed off about it

#ask #cross worlds spoilers

[dynamite124]

hiiiii I know I don't ask a lot of questions or post a lot abt him myself but honestly I'm kind of struggling on figuring out potential interactions between the Tallyboy and my oc's

I hav 3 in mind as "most likely to get up to shenanigans with Tally" tho

an alternate-universe version of my main Thalmor oc wherein she is the LDB (cus from what I know custom voiced followers aren't build for non-LDB's)

a snow elf LDB uplifted from a falmer, and thus having no knowledge of the outside world. also has Inigo, Xelzaz, and Rumarin (her love interest) on her team for now

and my high elf vestige (non dragonborn) who survived all the way from 2E and was rescued by and reunited with the oc's of my dear friend @titanwolfackerman (since that they told me Tally would be on their team, which also includes Inigo, Xelzaz, Lucien, Nebarra, Caryalind, and Miraak)

I would like to hear his thoughts on each character or at least the basic premises they are built on, hopefully it will give me inspiration to start creating some interesting scenarios <3

I have noticed a lot of players have different ideas for their Dragonborn outside of being a Dragonborn, and I respect that. I only play the Main Story quest and when I want to feel like the Dragonborn, so that's probably why a lot of Custom Voiced followers follow that route. To make the story the player has for their character to feel less forced into that role. I made Taliesin the same; he doesn't address the player as Dragonborn unless it's about the Main Story quest in question.

So with your Thalmor OC finding out she's the Dragonborn. Were Taliesin present, or depending on how you plan to have them meet, he would encourage her to keep this part about her a secret from the other Thalmor. His knowledge of Dragonborn lore is tied directly to how the Nord's perceive the legend of the Dragonborn - pretty much an example of how Nords should act and be. An Altmer being their example? very controversial. Same with the Thalmor, knowing one of their own holds power, they'd want to take full advantage of that in the worst way possible. He might become protective of her when it comes to anything Thalmor related. If she voices wanting to run off from the Thalmor or leave in anyway, he'd ask to join her.

A Falmer (snow elf) would be a curiosity to him. Lots of questions would come to mind about her culture, but if she doesn't have him, that'll sadden him a bit. He's willing to do research to find answers to not only his questions but to something to make her more a part of her people. Your vestige. What are their secrets to staying alive that long! Tally wants to know! That might be something he would have trouble getting over. From the 2nd era to the 4th era is almost over 1000 years! And that's the average life span for an Altmer without the use to magic! He had an ancestor back in that Era, so his first question would be knowing his great-great-great-great ect grandfather!

hope these help, lol!

#skyrim taliesin #taliesin

[eyeballtank]

Might as well write something related to what happened with Skullgirls just because.

Some of the changes even affect Kickstarter stuff and the concept art, which comes off as revisionism and is a punch in the face to anyone who backed up the game years ago.

The "desexualization" still applies to characters that are legal like Cerebella.

They could also easily retcon Fillia's age to 18 but even then, it's just a number randomly slapped to a made up character and people thought Shantae was 16, while Yoko Littner from Gurren Lagann is like 14.

If people even thought SG had "evil content that had to be removed", why even support it in the first place? Same thing with P3P having the Ken social link: Why even support Atlus after the fact?

Maybe these people will always attach to Skullgirls and Persona because of the "waifu" appeal, meaning they only easily boycott Hogwartz Legacy because they think Harry Potter sucks and has no "cute 2D girls", not because of JK Rowling.

Otherwise, if Hogwartz Legacy had a 2D art style or even looked like whatever mobile game came prior, it wouldn't be just /v/ that'd talk about Merula Snyde.

Goes to show when someone calls anything "CP" they don't take it seriously and might as well associate it with "mildly annoying/thing i don't like".

They even changed a story moment displaying police brutality… don't people want cops to be portrayed as the bad guys? (Or did they gave up on that part because of that one time Mike Z made a "i can't breathe" joke?).

The Black Egrets only had the Nazi-like looks to show off their moral ambiguity in the setting, it's not like Alex Ahad was secretly promoting some Neo-Nazi messages (He even stated that they're not as bad as actual Nazis) but i guess these people LabZero wants to pander to never read JoJo or even European comics where Nazis are there for the sake of moral ambiguity based roles.

(Because Nazis will always be seen as assholes in history and most of this modern sentiment people have towards them is from 2017 culture war shit and associating them with the alt right: Don't be surprised if a Breadtuber dismisses the Holocaust because he thinks "Jews hate Nazis the WRONG way" in some video).

But i guess the cameo of a furry who jacks off to guro is fine, who even shat on Mike Z when he was getting cancelled (Probably karma for Mike Z in the first place but also means that a snake would be more fitting for this e-sports player's fursona).

Seeing Zone-tan defending this is funny for obvious reasons, from the fact that people will still shit on him for being a porn artist involved in the game to the fact that Zoomers made the Ankha animation into their own version of 2 Girls 1 Cup.

Another porn artist i saw defending this was a guy that does Persona NTR shit, which is no loss. There's plenty of better artists to associate with Mitsuru anyway.

People say "it's only censorship if the government does it" as if they would say the same if it applied to a game they cared about more and affected specific things they'd like. It's honestly a statement on pair with "it's only prejucide if THIS specific group does it" where the meaning of a word is revised by making it as if only a group can do the act.

"It's their game, they can do whatever they want" the actual creators (Alex Ahad included) aren't present anymore, so this whole "they own it" part lines up with the notion that IP's matter more than artist: Part of what Martin Scorcece talked about with MCU movies.

It's pretty clear that Skullgirls (And a lot of media people attach because it's always a topic of discussion online) was made for and by "perverts".

Even the people that claim to be ok with these changes probably got into it for the same factor ("Sex sells" etc) and now, most reviews are turning negative on Steam and most positive ones are from years ago.

Maybe the problem with Skullgirls is that it's technically an indiegame but it didn't have that much of a "indie spirit". What i mean is the "goal" of it landing on EVO, since the competitive fighting game scene became corporate and i occasionally draw a line between that and when they started to tone down the panty shots from years ago. Because people already assume that other companies get rid of fanservice and sexy stuff for the sake of approval (Meanwhile, SNK is owned by Saudi Arabia and Mai Shiranui is still safe). It's a similar sentiment people have towards that Boxtown cartoon for being indie yet having the same animation style as most modern cartoons or that one Dinomites "when you encourage an artist" comic involving someone's dream of a Pixar mascot character and a Katy Perry music video. "Indie" isn't just a status in terms of economics or publishing, i like to think it reflects on the actual creativity and risks.

And this is also because Skullgirls has its fair share of references and influences to other stuff, which might've come from media by artists who had to say "no, i want to make this". Take a look at various artists, writers, game devs, movie directors, composers etc that you like: Chances are they had moments where they had to stand up for their works. Some even have their own varied political beliefs and still managed to upset both sides.

Even if they're notorious in certain industries and praised by some nerd media sites, they still have content that you know people would lose their shit over if it came today.

Anyway, if i were to make a fighting game, it'd just use it as an excuse to "mechanically expand" my characters and say "look, they have attacks and abilities" and not give a fuck about a competitive scene. And i don't really hide the fact that i'm a pervert, so if my current game's art improves, i'll still retain a certain easter egg. Maybe i'm too wary over things like "Troll's Remorse" but i know it's possible for someone to still make stuff and retain somethings in a creative field.

Not like anybody cares who i am and i still consider myself at a very early phase.

There's still some lessons to learn from this event.

#blog

[raid3r-r4bbit]

Give us a Cait for character breakdown!

CHARACTER BREAK DOWN

CAIT

-how I feel about the character?

Cait is one of those companions I really like but don't travel with myself. I feel like she's one of the more fleshed out companions, and I actually enjoy her personality. But similar to how I feel about Codsworth, I just want to gentle hold them and not subject them to pain or disappointment. Most of the time she gets to stay at sanctuary or red rocket in peace with all the best stuff.

-Romantic ships with this character.

I'm not a big shipper, honestly. I have only one oc I ship with an in game character. But if I ~HAD~ to pick I'd say either Gage or Preston. Both post detox, I think on one hand Preston would be really good at having her handle her anger in peaceful ways but they'd fight a lot. And while I think she and Gage would get along well, both being a bit bitter and sarcastic, he'd encourage her to express herself violently, and the relationship might end up toxic.

-Non romantic OTP

Cait and Macready would be good friends I think, and I really wish Cait and Curie interacted more.

I'd probably ship Cait and Curie honestly, cause I feel bad shipping Curie (with anyone) but I feel like both platonically and romantically, the idea of Curie giving her a lil kiss on the forehead after patching her up is so sweet.

-unpopular opinion about this character?

She's not actually that great in combat. Gage has the highest strength of all the human companions, and the second highest of any human NPC (as far as I remember) and while I like this, I feel like Cait should be higher in endurance and strength, maybe agility. Shes a fuCkIng FIgHTEr!!

Also, she had no reason to be Irish. I like the vocal and national diversity, but for her and her story it doesn't make much sense. I like with other characters, for the most part, because it gives them an air of mystery, but consider you get to meet her and know her story in depth it just doesn't make sense.

-One thing I wish would/had happen with said character?

I fucking LOATHE the chair. Ffs having her lock her self in a room and having the player leave for a few days makes sense.

Y'all could have easily had the same vault selt up, but it's not a chair, it's a team of Ms nanny bots or Mr Handy's who lock her in a room and force able rehab her, sending the player away or to wait.

One of the things I hate about Bethesda is that they'll often do showy animations that are either references to other movies/shows/games, or just something flashy and cool to show off and bring some animated diversity in the models, instead of just making the story make sense.

While I love some of the really good animations, this is a great example of "wait but wouldnt this make sens-""sshhhhhh this looks cooler" and I hate it.

I will say however, I like that she actually changes her perspective on things after wards, unlike several other companions.

#fallout #fallout 4 #fo4 #cait fo4 #character breakdown

[unveilhq]

congratulations on your acceptance, tommy & ian ! please make sure you check the next steps here

paul wesley, bisexual, male + he/him→ isn’t that noah chmiel? i’ve seen them hanging out with the dragonkin. i hear they’re 129, but they’ve only been in alexandria for 7 years. they seem to be headstrong & friendly, but also lustful & hot headed. it’s cool that they’re capable of hydrokinesis!

zane phillips, homiesexual, male + he/him/his → isn’t that bryce fowler? i’ve seen them hanging out with the half ghosts. i hear they’re 30, but they’ve only been in alexandria for ???. they seem to be flirty & transparent, but also dismissive & fog-headed.

TWO new wanted connections have been added!

did you hear ezra bolívar (édgar ramírez), our resident incubus, is looking for their uncharacteristically ex-(more than) one night (a week?) stand? they’re an utp year old utp/human who arrived in the chateau at least over a year ago. they look like aaron taylor-johnson/leo suter. the player does require you to contact them prior to filling this out. - i'm imagining an uncharacteristical (maybe whirlwind) romance and/or sexual relationship that lasted like a week or a little more/less before ezra does what he does and bails to find the next hole to breed thrill to chase, the next adventure to be had. if they are supernatural, i figure that supernatural identities were not discussed (cause he was unaware he was supernatural until like recently) but could play a factor in their attraction to each other in the first place. this could have happened years ago, maybe a decade if your muse is immortal/don't age. ideally, now that they're both here in alexandria they'd want to continue their situationship/develop it into something more... but first they'd probably have to work things out with ezra since he's a dumb dumb that cannot commit (why?) - @enshrcuded 

did you hear bayram sahin (yusuf cim), our resident harpy, is looking for their 2 brothers? they’re ~28-38 year old harpies who arrived in the chateau 5 years ago. they look like any turkish fcs who resemble yusuf cim. the player does not require you to contact them prior to filling this out. - the family is extremely close & originally from istanbul. one of the brothers accidentally exposed his harpy powers to a human boy when they were kids when he was being attacked. bayram was the first one who came to america for school and eventually brought his family over; when he found alexandria, he brought them all down. the rest is up to you and i left the background super open. as long as you use a turkish name for your character & if you need help with fcs, hmu!! - @newsalvations

ONE new location has been added!

SEVENTH HEAVEN: to look at seventh heaven, you'd think you were looking into a time portal. the building, located in a little more seedier part of town, is three stories tall with a rather large basement. built specifically by sephiroth, the top floor is his place that takes over the full layout of the building. the first and second floors are home to the bar, designed to look like a medieval tavern that the darklighter grew up around. although you can get modern beverages, seth has tried to make beers that tasted just like how he remembered them. the hidden feature to his bar however is located in the basement. several cells all designed like the dungeons of the castle he served in. though, this dungeon is used more for pleasure than it is for pain. some of the cells are private, while some are visible to each other via metal bars, for the more voyeuristic in nature.

#unveilaccepted

[this-nightmare-doesnt-exist-yet]

I've been thinking about Rat and the adopted egg thing again.

Equally as painful to the theoretical scenario of Darius having shattered the egg in an alternate timeline. If Rat got put into a place similar to the qsmp with how they gave the people of other nationalities an egg to sit after the others already theirs, Rat being given back Gum after being sucked into an alternate universe again would be heart wrenching.

Kind of like Charlie with Flippa, but instead of going out to fight god they would go into a depressive state believing that maybe it's a universal constant for their child to be dead.

They'd dig themself a hole and sleep until the hunger or thirst gets too much and do the bare minimum to avoid pain but not to live.

Then probably get rudely shaken from their hibernation by some other player coincidentally renovating the mountainside that they have been hulled up in for months.

Rat would crawl out looking like a grumpier version of that cat that woke up from a nap under a weight blanket.

Cue a funny yet sad argument between Rat and whoever has just bulldozed into their grief hole. (can be taken as a pun) So there's not a hotel being built on top of the dirt m nest and legally they can't do anything because they didn't get land rights. When construction is done Rat is too tired and stubborn to go find somewhere else, so they just start breaking into the hotel and sleeping in unoccupied rooms before getting kicked out and eventually getting in again.

Then a really funny section of time where Rat struggles to survive being locked in a hotel room without food or water in an attempt to meet the requirements for squatters rights and own the room from then on. The hotel owner is staunchly against this but the cops aren't doing anything about it at this point.

I've seen a horror movie with a similar premise of being locked in a haunted NY apartment for six weeks, and this isn't the first time Rat has been stuck in a position. (Rat got accidentally trapped in a person's back yard for several weeks irl time due to roof parkour, invisible property walls, and the land owner being on vacation. I logged on every day until the person found me and let me out. I can and will do it again if given the chance to and it fits the story.)

In a weird way Rat regains the will to live even if it is mostly coming from spite for getting their home stolen and not being allowed to sleep how they want to.

Like you might think it's impossible but if that hotel room is big enough they will turn off the lights to let mobs spawn in then beat them to death with their god given trowel hands and feast on their rotting flesh.

But also the alternative option of Rat canonically dying while locked in a room wholly unrelated to any major plot points in the larger world of lore would be epic. In a sense they win their story but had no effect on anyone else's large scale other than to occasionally be reference as the guy that died due to malnutrition while refusing to leave a hotel room for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

Not that I personally wouldn't want to participate in the stories if I could, it's just that it would be more in character. It could easily be prevented if anyone wanted to adjust some things but if not discouraged from bad behavior Rat is prone to spiral haphazardly.

Not a good look on any of the other characters if they get so distracted by everything else happening that they forget that Rat is slowly dying of neglect.

Part of how that might happen is that it is character roleplay and people get so used to other player characters being able to handle themselves being left alone that they would not think of this as a valid option for how a character would go.

Secondly being that it is roleplay the other players naturally would want to be where the action is happening.

Why would anyone think Rat would die a completely preventable death?

The most noise would likely be from the person that owns the hotel complaining about Rat and scarcely anyone else unless some solid friendships formed with some other characters.

Imagine watching real time as somebody's favorite (could just be me but I can't rule out the possibility of others) minecraft character has a mental health crisis and dies an insignificant death in an otherwise active and thriving community of players.

seeing the little joined message in chat every day, ignoring it as not your business at the moment. Several weeks of this before a single simple message from the game that Rat has starved, then silence from then on. Imagine being a fellow player wondering what happened and only just finding out by skipping through hours of VODs of Rat in one increasingly messy room.

On one hand it is absurd but on the other it is a depiction of misery in ways that most won't encounter in detail.

Simultaneously meaning full on a small scale but near meaningless on a larger scale. Just a blip compared to the churning storms of everything else going on in the server.

A heavy segment that will likely be forgotten in the whirlwind. Who the fuck does that and why in minecraft of all places?

To rope back to the start of this, why wouldn't somebody that has cut themself off from the wider world not be out of touch with all that happens while they are away?

Why wouldn't sorrow drive a person to madness?

It's all there just this isn't the way that people usually take this sort of thing. They want to see a character get better or be a part of the larger whole, not an unintentional cautionary tale of how to lose a life.

it is depressing on paper but in follow through I would hope people would be laughing so hard at the silly stuff that they don't get how sad it is.

Some poor soul would be in a different chat and be the only one to see the death message and get hit with a wave of dread in understanding the implications of such a small detail.

#mc rp Rat #using other stories to examine what a character would do #QSMP #angst #tw fictional death #tw fictional child death #tw sui implied #art stuff #ramblings #long post #things that make people ask what is wrong with me

[fetabathwater]

9 General 17 Story Specific and 9 in Romance for Amma!

prompts here!

General

9. Does your Tav have any escalating conflicts with one of the other companions, like Lae’zel and Shadowheart’s knife-fight?

Whilst there probably would be some funny, snarky back and forth with Gale about sorcery vs wizardry (jocks vs nerds), but it would actually be a gradual escalation following the confrontation with Ketheric... with Karlach. Especially with the revelations of Amma's once previous budding enterprising of world domination and questionable relationship with Gortash, a lot of Karlach's complex feelings about the last ten years definitely come rushing to the forefront. What would start off as a verbal confrontation, could escalate very quickly to some shoving before you are witnessing Amma tackle Karlach around the middle, headfirst, throwing her to the ground. Hopefully you got the upgrades to Karlach's engine, because Amma will insist on fighting through the fire regardless! Karlach is more likely to get the upper hand in the fight, especially if you can imagine her hauling Amma up and then slamming her back into the ground. Somehow, they're still arguing through it all as well.

You'd be best to try to get intervening as soon as you can ! Otherwise they'd wake the next day with a broken jaw (Amma), possible burns (Amma), cracked ribs (Karlach), assuming of course you let the fight run a bit. Any more than that and Karlach would succeed in likely managing to knock Amma out. In the slim chance Amma comes out on top, she stops shy of taking a knife to Karlach's engine. Regardless, it would take a couple of long rests before there's a way to break the tension.

Story

17. If romanced, how do they react to the Dark Urge trying to kill them in Act 2?

Amma:

If this is how she finds out that the player is also a Dark Urge. Hm.

Romance

9. How do they react if the PC has sex with Mizora? The Emperor?  Haarlep?

Amma would honestly be quite intrigued with sex with Mizora, and makes you promise to tell her all about it later. You would stink of the hells, and whatever layers you had decided to wander into. Also, choosing Cania would also flag some dialogue with her, especially post the closure of her own companion quest, and she may reminisce on Mephistar and breaking into the vault. But she would definitely want to know. Please tell her. She's begging. She would've nominated herself in your place.

Having sex with the Emperor would... interest her? But in kind of a sick fascination way where she's honestly not all that keen on the idea, anyway. Especially with the combined reveals, and her general aversion to mind flayers as it is, plus yknow. Worming. However it's more like she would like you to describe the tentacles (lmao).

As for Harleep, considering what can happen, what with keeping your soul but handing over your body, engaging anyway, etc etc... honestly she's entranced by the power of incubi, never mind one who has been bound to Raphael for countless years. Equal parts she wants to know what it was like to waver like that, having your soul pulled, just as much pain and pleasure as it may be with another fiend or devil (like Mizora), but she's interested in what hold can be found over Raphael. That, and she figures that is one of the only ways to bed Raphael so, she's into that as well.

#uldren-s0v #replies #oc: amma

[missnight0wl]

I never thought they'd give those lines after MC "explaining" the stuff about their dad to Tonks.

It doesn't fit her character. At all. Like... Why would she care about MC's dad being R's leader? Almost everyone in her family are Death Eaters.

Alright, I know I’m probably in minority, but honestly… I really think that people are overreacting about the recent chapter. No offence! But I just don’t get why so many players are saying that MC’s friends are terrible and whatnot. Because here’s the thing: MC looked really damn bad in this whole situation. And in my opinion, it’s not even about MC’s father being the leader of R. It’s about MC hiding this information. That’s why MC’s friends are upset, including Tonks. Or maybe even: especially Tonks.

See, the thing about Tonks is that she’s pretty much established as someone really close to MC. I mean, in the Patronus TLSQ, she basically walks MC through semi-therapy to help them with their mental block. But even the side quests aside, in the main story, she also has quite a lot of moments when she’s very supportive. Overall, you can say that Tonks trusts MC, and MC seems to trust Tonks. But now, we have the recent chapter. And notice that we actually were spending a big part of it with Tonks. Yet, at any point, MC didn’t choose to tell Tonks about their father. And it hurts.

Moreover, I think that Tonks having Death Eaters in her family is what might make her more hurt – not hypocritical. Because MC knows that Tonks doesn’t agree with them, and it’s basically why she wants to be an Auror. In the past, MC seemed to understand it and acknowledge that Tonks’s family doesn’t define her. But now, it turns out that MC is in a very similar situation – and they chose to hide it! I mean, if MC is scared that the others might judge them for that… does it mean that they also secretly judge Tonks? Because otherwise, why they wanted to hide it? You know what I mean?

I actually feel that it’s MC who’s hypocritical in this situation, not Tonks. In fact, I do believe that if MC told everyone about Peregrine right away, Tonks would probably be one of the first people to say that it doesn’t matter.

Seriously, when I look at Tonks’s reaction, I don’t see it as her saying that MC is a bad person.

I see it as Tonks feeling betrayed that MC was hiding something so important.

Also, let’s keep in mind that all reactions we see are the first reactions, meaning that they’re very emotional. And Merula really didn’t make anything better, but not because she called MC out. She made things worse because MC decided to tell the Circle about Merula kidnapping Corey while keeping a secret about their father. And I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but it kind of looks like MC did it on purpose to make everyone angry at Merula before they could get angry at them.

To be clear, I’m fully aware that Jam City fucked up the writing of this plotline, and it's a very lazy way of creating some drama. But it doesn’t really change the fact that MC looks a bit like a jackass. And because of that, I think that the Circle’s initial negative reaction is justifiable.

Although to be fair, there are a couple of reactions I do find problematic. The first one is Barnaby:

If anyone knows that one’s father doesn’t define you, it’s Barnaby. The line above actually doesn’t fit his character at all. Still, it’s not even what bothers me the most, to be honest.

What bothers me the most is how it’s worded. Again, perhaps it’s just me, but it sounds like something a child would say. I know that JC likes to portray Barnaby as an idiot, but… seriously. Who even wrote it?

The second problematic reaction is Corey:

Uhm, hello? You knew that, Corey, and you were hiding it as well, so what the hell? Also, do you really want me to tell everyone about your embarrassing crush on Peregrine? Still, I assume it’s simply Corey being stupid and not thinking about the consequences of their actions. It’s annoying, but I’m not super bothered by that.

Finally, we have Ben:

And yes, Ben basically expressed what I talked about in the first part of my post. But my problem here is that it’s Ben who said that. Because Ben knows very well about lying through omission. Hell, if you choose Ben as a companion at one point in Y4, he basically admits that it’s exactly what he’s doing.

So like… Benny, my boy? Why you’re such a hypocrite? And I don’t care that JC might not remember what happened with Ben previously. That boy confuses me lately either way.

So yeah, I’m sorry, but I’m actually with Tonks here. And frankly, I’d probably react similarly.

#long post #hogwarts mystery #hphm #hphm spoilers #hphm mc #nymphadora tonks #barnaby lee #corey hayden #ben copper #merula snyde #hphm peregrine #hphm r #Y7Ch42 #ask #anonymous

[goldazu]

Okay, I know people are tired of my Pokemon shenanigans, but hear me out. Some people were also interested in what I thought about the overall plot and I will try to go ahead and give my two cents on it.

Personally, I'm somewhat sick of the same recycled Pokemon plot in which the rivals are overly friendly, hold your hand throughout your whole journey, and act a little too light-hearted for my tastes. Give me a mean rival again, those were fun. However, that isn't to say I didn't enjoy Nemona and Arven in particular. Especially Arven. His arc was very mind-blowing for me by the end of the game considering what happened with his family.

Truth told, before I started the game, I definitely heard rumors of people like "the story made everyone cry." So, I wanted to see what exactly was so heart-wrenching about it. Initially I thought it was the whole plot arc with Arven and his sick dog who showed little to no signs of recovery even as you collect the Herba Mystica (basically nutrient-loaded food for the Pokemon) for him to feel better, which I'll admit was indeed sad and tugging on my heartstrings at some point, but it wasn't anything too eye-opening for me all the same.

Little did I know, this was just the beginning of it.

As the player explores Paldea and collects the Herba Mystic for the professor (Sada or Turo depending on your version—I played Scarlet so I got Sada), your ride legendary also gains some new powers. Dashing, jumping, swimming, gliding, climbing, etc. It's clear throughout the adventure that Arven and the professor have strained relationships due to Koraidon/Miraidon yet the player doesn't really know why until the end, which I consider the most exciting part of the overall story.

Once the Herba Mystica subplot was finished, the player then has to make their way to the forbidden Great Crater since Arven just kinda goes "okay, we need to find my mom/dad." Yes, the professor is revealed to be his parent, though I didn't see it coming even when in hindsight they do resemble each other. That's on me, I guess. Oops? Anyway, the professor up until that point has and continues to communicate with you, the player, via Rotom phone so you never actually get to meet them. It turns out they're "trapped" in the lab in Area Zero, which leads you and the gang to travel there despite the prehistoric/futuristic Pokemon crawling about. All of which are quite powerful in their own right.

Eventually as you approach the lab, it's revealed those Pokemon from the past/future are too dangerous for the ecosystem and must be stopped/contained in their "respective times." It makes sense, to be fair. Should they escape Area Zero, then they'd undoubtedly infest all of Paldea and probably turn the whole region into a living Hell for all the other, much more weak Pokemon who are from the current time period. So, the professor asks you to disable the time machine that they themselves made to prevent that from happening, since a lot of the paradox Pokemon are already starting to go out of control.

Sounds easy enough, right? Well, there's just one small complication.

Turns out the professor is actually an AI based on Arven's real parent, who died in the respective time zone of their field of study. They died in an accident trying to protect Koraidon/Miraidon yet somehow the AI still lives on. Ironically enough, even the AI recognizes the whole time machine thing was going to be a bad idea and faults the original professor for it. They warn you that if you try to disable it, they will be programmed to fight you since anything that tries to stop the time machine is immediately deemed a threat.

Now, this is what I find very interesting. The AI is on your side, yet you have no choice but to defeat them in battle. Even though they don't want to fight, it's just how they're wired and programmed, unfortunately. This battle is also very exciting from a blind player's perspective because the AI's whole team is comprised of Pokemon solely from the "past" and "future" that the player has yet to encounter, forcing you to guess their weaknesses if you haven't already spoiled yourself by this point. For those going into the game 100% blind, I can see why the fight poses the greatest challenge yet.

Anyways, after you defeat them, the AI explains they can't leave the time machine which is why they were "stuck" in the lab all this time. Despite your efforts, it doesn't exactly "shut down." There are too many protocols and it turns into a Koraidon vs Koraidon (or Miraidon vs Miraidon, again, Scarlet vs Violet differences) showdown. Yes, there are two of them, by the way. Apparently the one you own is the more submissive one who lost a territory fight or something, but I think it's kind of awe-inspiring that it beats the one it originally lost against. It just goes to show that since you traveled with it all throughout the game, your bond overcame everything else.

Instead of disabling/destroying the time machine, the AI decides they, too, want to go on their own journey. All this time, monitoring you as you collected the Herba Mystica, beat all the gym leaders, challenged Team Star, etc., it's revealed they envied you. Makes sense, since they spent all that time tethered to the lab/time machine. I guess even AI can develop a thirst for adventure.

Enough recap, here's where I add in my opinions on everything.

Honestly, the idea of an AI character in Pokemon developed this way is very interesting to me. I know they tried to do similar in the past, but the exposition here was much more intense than other games. And the fact that it's revealed Arven's sole parent who already spent little to no time with him throughout his childhood as is died, I realized "wow, this is darker than I thought for a Pokemon game." I love it. I actually came to adore the professor more knowing they were an AI in the end. Their parting words to Arven before the time machine transported them was something along the lines of "s/he really cared about you." And I don't think they're lying, either. If you take a look at the lab, you'll see the original professor has a picture of Arven and his dog when he was just a child.

The whole game, all the side characters encourage you to "find your treasure." Yet, here we see with the professor that sometimes people go overboard with their treasure hunt, and they devote all of their time and energy to their goals that they forsake their loved ones, their kids, their family, etc. Hell, the professor even developed all those protective measures so that the time machine would never fail, which just goes to show they wanted to research those paradox pokemon no matter what—even at the cost of neglecting their kid.

If I was in Arven's shoes, honestly, I'd be devastated. The one parent I came to resent and never spent all that much time with turns out to be dead, and I was only speaking to an AI version of them all this time. Crazy, right? He surprisingly took it well despite all the rivals being kids, but still, crazy stuff. Makes one wonder what his life would be like if only he had an active parent around.

Now, I may be biased because I played through Scarlet, which means Arven had mommy issues with Sada. However, I just cannot imagine Arven and Turo for some reason. 💀 Maybe it's because I also played as a girl, and considering his beef with Nemona who is also a young woman, it makes sense that Arven has a distrust towards the opposite gender due to his mother's absence. Sound familiar yet?? Omg, Arven is even good at cooking.

Back to the paradox Pokemon, there are theories that they aren't actually from the past/future and that they're just the professor's imagination coming to life due to a third unrevealed legendary. To be honest, I think this theory is sound. After all, how can Sandy Shocks, a Pokemon resembling manmade magnets, come from the ancient past???

Overall, I loved how surprisingly dark the story in Scarlet and Violet were this time around. Please give me more plotlines like this. TL;DR, Arven is best boy and deserves everything good in this world. 😩

#shenanigans #pokemon rambling #pokemon scarlet and violet spoilers

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

The whole “keep people guessing” thing they’re trying to do with Merula is so annoying though. They’ve done it so often that people are getting tired of it. I hate to say it but even when they did it with Rakepick it wasn’t this level of irritating. I mean at least with her we’re not forced to still care about her and be encouraged to “save” her and bring her to the right side after she did something to wrong us. Unlike Merula, that’s exactly what they’re doing. She’s treated MC appallingly from ever since I can remember yet we’re still forced to call her a “friend” and look out for her, it’s total bs. We give her chance after chance no matter how many times she fucks up and whether players actually want to or not. They’ll probably do it again after ch 38 even though there’s literally no reason why they should. It’s just the same thing over and over again with her, I’m so sick of it.

For better or for worse, I'm gonna say that Merula is the single most important character in the game, apart from MC.

I'm not even talking as a Merula stan right now. The rose colored glasses are off. I'm looking at this critically, and analyzing the narrative, and it's clear to me that Merula is the character who the story revolves around the most, by far.

Jacob is also significant but he kind of stopped mattering much at all after he was rescued from the Portrait Vault. The idea of Jacob was central to the first five years of the story, a guiding light. But as an actual character, he offers nothing to the narrative that MC doesn't already provide at this point. (Apart from answers, but for whatever reason he doesn't want to give answers, and MC has stopped asking.)

All of the Year 1 characters offer significance to the main story, at least to some degree. Well, apart from Penny. (Seriously, if you ignore any and all sidequest content, Penny's actually surprisingly irrelevant to the tale of Hogwarts Mystery.) Rowan, like Jacob, is significant to the plot more in concept than in presence, but this time I think it was intentional. The Circle of Khanna, Rowan's death, was the first time they'd played a major role in the story since Year 2. Not that I'm saying this is a good thing, but a significant part of Rowan's death was how it furthered Ben's character arc. Ben is probably the second most important character after Merula - there's a reason the two of them, alongside MC, were the Circle's founders.

But Merula. Oh god.

She's established in the first two chapters. She's been a constant presence ever since, a thorn in MC's side. She literally has her own track in the OST. (Though it's shockingly underused.) The only other character who does is Jacob. (And his theme is dreadfully overused, to the point where it's just a general "emotional moment" theme now...) I think Merula, and her character, were always significant to the story the writers wanted to tell. And, yes, part of that story is showing us her human side.

Honestly, I know I compare Merula to Draco a lot these days, but it's not like there isn't reason to. The further we get into the story, the more I feel like Merula's character is almost written as a response to his, and/or a kind of wish fulfillment for everyone who was rooting for him to be redeemed. (Merula canonically has a hawthorn wand, same as Draco, which is noted for choosing people going through "turmoil" and "inner conflict.") Because I do expect Merula to be redeemed. Yes, even now, I'd argue that the signs are pointing in that direction more than ever. Which is also a good thing for a number of reasons, but among them is this: Merula as just a straight up one-note antagonist would get pretty boring after a while. Draco, as a one-note bully, had already gotten stale by OOTP, until HBP fleshed him out. Showing us another side of Merula is a good way to develop her as a character significant to the story.

The thing is, there's no way to show us another side of Merula if the heroes aren't willing to listen. As a result, MC and the Circle simply have to listen. This can be frustrating when the characters arguably have no reason to hear her out, and plenty of reason not to...but I think the writers are banking on the idea that after everything MC has been through with Merula, it's not unreasonable that they might have developed some amount of fondness for her, or pity, if nothing else. Even if it's just pity, just MC being a good person - I realize how irritating this is for people who are sick of her, but, again, something else I've said before is that Jacob's Sibling is not ours. We get to decide a lot of what is true about them, personalize them, but at the end of the day their lines and reactions are still pre-written by Jam City. I think it's clear that Year 5, and especially "About Merula" were meant to signal a change in how MC sees her. The player might not agree. But unfortunately, I think we all just have to go with it.

#Merula Snyde #HPHM Analysis #Fandom Analysis #Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery #The Circle of Khanna #HPHM Spoilers