#but spoiler alert the drivers once again out designed their teams | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

racingliners · 2 months

Text

Helmet Watch 2024

*cracks knuckles* I'm back to yell about driver helmets.

Like talking about and rating all the liveries last year, I had a lot of fun doing the same for the drivers helmets, so helmet watch has returned for 2024! (Under a read more as to not clog up everyone's dashes, with the drivers listed in alphabetical order by surname.)

NB - I'm just doing the "core" helmet designs, as if the drivers come out with one-off helmets at the rate they did last year I wouldn't have any free time.

Alex Albon (Williams)

Like the 2024 Williams livery, it's an evolution of last year's design. Though with less sharp angles and using something much more bubble font-esque.

We still have the double As which is neat and I also loooooooove the baby pink and navy blue combo, especially with how much pink is on the helmet. It will really pop against the dark blue livery of the car.

8/10

Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

Pretty much a copy and paste from last year's helmet with a couple of minor tweaks. But in saying that I do feel that the minor adjustments make the design look a lot less busy. Like last year the colour scheme is great and it'll look great with the car, and I love the Aston Martin wings by the visor, it's one of my favourite details.

7/10

Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

Any feelings I had about Valtteri taking forever to drop his 2024 helmet design have been immediately forgiven. I absolutely love this Northern Lights inspired design so so much. Both because of how unique a design it is but also the execution of it is just gorgeous. I love all the inclusion of the North star and all the different constellations, and that the number 77 has also been written like waves from the aurora. I would genuinely buy a mini-helmet of this I love it that much.

10/10

Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

I absolutely LOVE this one. The splashes of white and the subtle gradient shading adds so much dimension to the whole design (proof that if done right monochromatic designs can absolutely work!). I also just love the shade of pale blue as well, it's going to look really nice with both liveries Alpine are running this year.

10/10

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

Misty eyes aside about this being the last core helmet design from Lewis as a Mercedes driver, I do absolutely love this. It's pretty much another copy and paste from last year, minus the rainbow band on the top. I'm glad that Lewis kept the rainbow lines otherwise the contrast between the neon yellow and purple would look quite jarring. But like last year I absolutely love it (apart from the exposed carbon at the top)

9/10

Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

JMD Helmets really do never miss. Like his helmet from last year I love the paint splatter effect and I really like the choice to change it from orange and purple to acid green. I'm unsure on what to make of the purple and green combo as it def plays into the whole Hulk nickname, but the shades chosen do look good together.

9/10

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

Currently kissing Charles on his pretty little head for the addition of the dark metallic red accents. It's so pretty and adds a lot of dimension to his helmet design (while I did like his '23 helmet, it did feel a bit plain). I also really like the pattern on the base of the number 16 going round the helmet, it's been done in just the right font size and colour that again adds some more dimension instead of looking busy.

8/10

Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

This is a complete 180 from his previous helmet designs, and while I have zero idea what the inspiration is I really like it!

The bright splash of turquoise is really nice (I will always love fun colours on helmets) and it complements the parrot design really well. (Again, I don't know why Kevin has put a parrot on his helmet, but it's fun so I'm allowing it). I would never have thought to pair turquoise and marigold together, but somehow it works, and both looks really nice on the off-white base.

8/10

Lando Norris (McLaren)

I genuinely cannot fault this. I love that it's glossy, I love the neon yellow, I love the abstract black detailing. My new favourite helmet design of Lando's

10/10

Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

I am so happy to see Esteban carrying on the red and black colour scheme from last year. While I don't love this design as much as last year's (the big carbon fibre E is a tad off putting) it's still a really solid design that will not only stand out against the Alpine livery, but against the rest of the grid's helmets too.

He also gets a kiss on the head for keeping his helmet glossy instead of matte

8/10

Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

I'm unsure how I feel about Checo's helmet this year. On the one hand it does have a more cohesive colour palette than last year (and I LOVE the traditional Mexican inspired patten on the blue base), on the other it does feel a bit simple. I also wish the Red Bull logo with the white outline had been used instead, the text is a bit hard to read against the blue. But I do enjoy the splashes of yellow that do well to set his helmet apart from Verstappen's

6.5/10

Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

Another evolution of last year's design and I love the version for 2024! For me Oscar's helmet was too busy last year and I feel like it's been streamlined. My favourite part, the colour palette, has remained unchanged and like last year I just love how bright it is. I also really like the pattern on the medium blue base, it adds a really nice dimension to the overall design. However I do miss the silver holographic detailing from last year's helmet, it's a shame it didn't make the cut.

9/10

Daniel Ricciardo (Racing Bulls)

This is a colossal upgrade on last year's helmet (the tan and blue colourway was not it). And while the grey and silver colour scheme is plain, it definitely helps the flame design look a lot better than on last year's helmet and will look really good against the bright blue RB livery.

As with Gasly's helmet I also like the gradient shading, and the chrome (!!!) silver outline going around the flames.

7.5/10

George Russell (Mercedes)

I am so glad George stuck with a blue design instead of the acid green he trialled at some race last year. It's a really gorgeous shade of blue that looks stunning with the Mercedes W15 livery, and I really like the little bits of darker blue shading and the blue visor (again I don't talk about matching visors much but I do appreciate them!!).

He also gets a bonus point for having the black parts painted instead of carbon fibre.

8/10

Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari)

Again another copy and paste from last year, but thankfully with less black. It looks so much brighter with just having the black on the top. I like that the design is a even more abstract than his design last year, it definitely makes it look different. And of course the red and yellow colour scheme means that it will look really good with the Ferrari livery

7/10

Logan Sargeant (Williams)

I really, really want to like this design but the American flag just completely takes me out of it. If it wasn't there this helmet would be gorgeous because imho it's not needed as the white and blue with the red accents already does a great job in showcasing Logan's home country colours.

Apart of that, the design is really nice and it will look so stunning with the car, it just has an echo of a Haas US GP livery 😭

5/10

Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

A moment of silence for the fallen Aston Martin wins, they were very pretty 😔

Lance's helmet design for 2024 is a throwback to the design he ran in his championship winning European F3 season, but refreshed in Aston Martin colours. I did have a somewhat negative reaction upon seeing the exposed carbon but the more I look at it the more I'm on board with it. It definitely helps that it's all over glossy. Also shoutout to Lance's continued commitment to the Aston brand by having the flashes of neon lime to match the car's livery, I will always appreciate a proper commitment to the bit.

7/10

Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)

The Japanese maple leaves are baaaaaaaack!!!!!

I'm not so sure on the navy base... but then I also don't know what colour base I would switch it out for that would look good and also complement the Racing Bulls livery. But Yuki's helmet was one of my favourites last year so I'm really happy to see a version of it back for 2024.

7/10

Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

ngl I do like this a lot more than his design from last year. I love the cobalt blue (oh how I wish the RBR would be as bright as this) and I especially love the silver chrome accents, if they were a little bit thicker and more prominent I'd like them even more.

I also want to shoutout the red/orange duo-chrome visor, I never talk about them enough but I love it when the colour of the visors complement the rest of the helmet design (in this case the red and yellow in the Red Bull logo)

8/10

Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)

No notes. And dare I say, best helmet on the grid. I just love the pairing of all over black with the hints of the porcelain pattern and silver holographic accents. It's sexy as hell.

10/10

#Formula 1 #Helmet Watch #2024 #Helmet Watch 2024 #Helmet #this took forever to put together bc the drivers took their sweet time in putting their HQ helmet pics out #but spoiler alert the drivers once again out designed their teams

4 notes · View notes

animebitchpatton · 4 years

Text

How the Karasuno characters would act while drunk at a party you threw

♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪(This is my first time writing anything like this so please be considerate I am learninggggggg. I definitely am not condoning drinking I just thought it would be fun to write! I might continue this with some of the other teams!!!)♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪

Tanaka: Let us be honest with ourselves for a second, Tanaka has gotten himself absolutely shitfaced. The boy is GONE gone.

The man is smooth as hell, he lays it all on the line the second he sees you, but neither of you are sober enough to comprehend what is happening so you just kind of laugh at him thinking that he is trying to joke with you.

Drunk Tanaka thinks your laughter means you are into him, so he keeps you there for hours sweet talking your ear off.

DOES A KEG STAND TO IMPRESS YOU

Will punch any and every man that even dares to touch you in a less than appropriate way. Even when he is drunk Tanaka knows full well how to treat a woman, and he is absolutely not afraid to get physical real quick.

At the end of the night him and Noya will end up in your bathroom sobbing about how much they appreciate each others friendship. You will inevitably find them and have to drag the bromance out of the bathroom yourself.

Kageyama: This dense motherfucker doesn't know how to act when he is sober, so why would you think for one damn second he even remotely knows how to act when he is drunk?

The poor boy is stumbling everywhere.

Absolutely will knock some of your family pictures down on accident. He will feel so bad and try to put them back up, but he will just knock more things over in the process and frustrate himself.

Not to mention how much he is stuttering. He can barely form a cohesive sentence.

He will muster up the courage to ask you where the bathroom is, but he probably forgot what a bathroom was called, so it will go something like this:

¨H-hey, I was just looking around and I was just thinking that you could maybe lead me to the place that people... that people use to... you know like when nature calls and stuff...¨

You have to walk him to the bathroom yourself, like a toddler, because you are scared he will get lost and pee in your closet.

Fucking lightweight

Yamaguchi: When he first arrives at the party, he is obviously glued to Tsukki. He is so scared to interact with people, especially strangers.

But get a few drinks in this boy and man, he will not shut up. He wants to talk to everyone, but his conversations are not annoying, they are genuinely uplifting.

Talking to Yamaguchi when he is drunk is always like the nice sober moment of the night, he is so genuine and down to earth that it is a nice break from the chaos of a party scene.

He turns into such a BIG MOUTH. He will tell you his entire life story. His hopes and dreams, his aspirations, the hardships he has been through, literally EVERYTHING.

Sometimes he will also tell you Tsukki’s entire life story too (unfortunately for Tsukki.) He especially likes to tell his extremely embarrassing stories from when they were really young.

This never goes over well with Tsukki...

Asahi: You may not believe it is possible, but drinking makes this boy even MORE SHY.

He tries not to talk out of fear that he will say something stupid, but you always get him to talk regardless.

Spoiler alert: He always says something stupid.

He gets super warm when he drinks, which makes him the ideal couch cuddle buddy.

He can get very overwhelmed in a party setting, and he gets anxious when he isn’t completely in control of his body. You often have to take him outside to cool down a few times, and these are the times when you get to see Asahi more himself than ever.

Make one flirty comment towards this boy and he is DONE. He will not be able to function for at least the next 10 minutes.

He always makes sure to stay after the party to help clean up the mess.

Tsukishima: For the love of god does this bitch ever shut up? He is like Yamaguchi when he is drunk only more ANNOYING. He kinda funny doe.

Being his usual stoic self at the begining of the night, it takes him a while to feel comfortable. Once he does feel comfortable though... oh lawd watch out.

First off, he will roast the shit out of anyone and everyone. Absolutely no one is safe from his reign of terror. Kags gets it the worst though.

He probably called Tanaka an egg-headed bitch at least once or twice. (His actions had consequences.)

He often will pull random ass stunts in an attempt to be funny and will get himself hurt in the process. You will end up being the one who has to tend to his wounds and watch his ass so that it doesn’t happen again.

He is a little chaotic, but it is nice to see him enjoying himself for once.

CEO of not remembering what happened in the morning.

Nishinoya: CHAOTIC DRUNK

The party really does not start until he walks in.

The ladies are absolutely crawling all over this one. He is a STUD. They cannot keep off of him.

Him and Tanaka compete to see who can do the longest keg stand.

The absolutely UNMATCHED king of beer pong. You can try and beat him but you will never succeed.

You can barely get him alone because everyone wants to hang with him, and you can see why. Mans really is the life of the party.

He does end up puking in your laundry basket tho.

(We already know where he has ended up by the end of the night.)

Daichi: UGH THIS BITCH (love him so much though, it is just that he is just a cheesy drunk)

So many dad jokes, it is absolutely unbearable. Like please sir, will you spare me a crumb of my sanity.

He is very cute when he is drunk though, and he will want to protect and take care of you.

He will definitely come over early to help you prepare everything.

During the party he will keep everyone in check, especially the chaotic ones. (Looking at you Tanaka, Noya, Tsukki and Hinata.)

Yachi: Drunk girl who tells you that you are beautiful in the bathroom vibes.

She will literally complement anyone and everyone. Her only goal of the night is to make people smile.

SHE IS A WRECK THOUGH.

She is still so nervous around everyone and she does not want to say or do anything wrong. She ends up trying too hard to avoid this and becomes a rambling mess.

When she talks it is like a random stream of consciousness, but it is insanely wholesome.

Kiyoko has to take her on mini walks around the backyard to calm her nerves.

Hinata: He is the first person to break something.

He also probably is still trying to practice volleyball, because to this little man, the grind never stops.

The problem is he is trying to practice inside. That is how something gets broken. Daichi banishes him to the backyard.

He is stumbling all over trying to make friends, poor boy.

Drunk Hinata loves to dance. Like this bitch will BUSS TF DOWN at any given moment. He will back it up, and it is absolutely fat enough.

Eats all the snacks.

Throws up on the dance floor from a combination of snacks, alcohol, and constant throwing it back.

Kiyoko: Confident drunk. This bitch knows who she is. (As always)

She is always the best dressed at the party no matter what. She got everyone’s heads turning.

Tanaka and Noya fight for her attention all night, but never get it. She is too good for that.

Surprisingly, she is very social when she is drunk. She tries to get to know everyone.

Similar to Daichi, she keeps everyone in check and makes sure no one is making stupid decisions.

Has the best hangover remedies for sure.

Sugawara: HA BITCH! YOU THOUGHT!

Suga doesn’t drink, DUH.

He is a sober man and he has sworn to stay that way for life.

This means he is always the designated driver and he makes sure everyone gets home safe.

He does the party foul clean up, for example he cleans up Hinata’s dance floor puke.

He makes sure everyone is safe and not drinking too much.

Overall just everyone’s party guardian angel, but I mean it is Suga so I don’t think any of us expected less.

52 notes · View notes

zydrateacademy · 3 years

Text

First Impressions / Review - Cyberpunk 2077

I have some screenshots but they’re mostly photo mode and the occasional interface showing off my gear. So this review will be pic-less for now. I got Cyberpunk off of Stimulus money so as far as I’m concerned, the government paid for this game which does negate some of the problems I’d normally have for dropping 80$ or so on a preorder. Use that information how you will. First, I want to address some technical issues. In the sense that I don’t have very many. I have a 1050 GTX, an i5 processor, and 16GB of Ram. That’s about as complex as my knowledge goes on that. I’ve had a few glitches like Jackie ghosting through a closed door, some vans were clipped into the parking lot, and some NPC’s being stuck in furniture. A lot of ghosting around, really. The odd frame drop but nothing game breaking, and I haven’t had any crashes except one on startup, right after updating my drivers. Just the one in ~21 hours of gameplay. I play on High (but not ultra) settings. So all in all, not a bad experience. Everyone’s computer is a unique butterfly so while you will see a lot of yelling on various communities, some of us are trucking along several hour sessions at a time and not having a problem. Let’s do a quick dive into the story, and there may be some spoilers here but it’s mostly for Act 1, which is reachable just a couple hours depending on how quickly you want to unlock the whole city (as you’re locked to one region until you complete a major heist).

You play as V, of any variety of gender identity you wish (though you are stuck with he or she pronouns). Basically a futuristic mercenary that does any kind of work available, kind of giving me some vibes from Burn Notice. Arms deals, stealing fans, VIP extraction, and so on. Of course, nothing goes as plan and you more or less lose your entire initial team after a heist goes wrong in every way possible. You’re witness to a world changing shift in a power structure and are forced to insert a chip with the ‘soul’ of Johnny Silverhand, an angry and incredibly bitter man who staged a bombing decades before V enters the game. This becomes the driving force of the game as you work to remove him safely from your body before he replaces you entirely - Something that not even he can stop, really. I’ve only had my toes dipped in Cyberpunk as a genre but it seems pretty standard fare. The concepts of “do cybernetics eat your soul’ and the various debate of how much human makes a human, all that. You’re put right there in center force as you grapple with these questions, even though our avatar as V is more concerned with just curing themselves like it was any other terminal disease. Even in-universe, the idea of a soul-preserving microchip is still a relatively new invention, though still in development enough to be advertised and talked about in news circuits. So let’s approach my first problem. It takes several hours for the game to essentially ‘wake up’. For a long time, you’re stuck in several conversations and interactable cutscenes with very little gameplay except taking advantage of V’s chosen origin in dialog. A couple of firefights here and there but the initial region locks you in and there’s only so many world encounters to just run into. The game more or less railroads you into completing Act 1 with some haste, because it also unlocks the ability to get more cybernetics and even some actual, full on mechanics. Within that railroading, you’re witness to so. Much. God. Damn. Talking. Mercifully you can press or hold “c” to skip through some things if you already understand the gist, but the first several hours of the game can very much feel like a very pretty walking simulator. Thankfully this kind of goes away after Act 1. You suddenly get called by a variety of Fixers that preside over various regions and they toss you dozens of side-jobs to do and so far, I find them to be delightfully varied. As a stealther, I found great joy in having a VIP escort quest with the optional objective of not sounding any alarms. So I went and bought myself a silencer and happily snuck around some gang mates boxing in the middle of a building, retrieved my guy, and escorted him outside while leaving several enemies alive. It was a great achievement. These side-gigs can be as complicated or straightforward as you please, giving me some Dues Ex vibes. The tutorial introduces you to hacking so you can distract and destroy your enemies how you see fit, and I have found that most encounters are designed with alternate routes to deal with enemies. Others are less clear. During one gig, I opened a door and the entire bar went ape on me, so I shot my way through and earned two stars from the police. Turned into a massive shootout that led to a dropbox that had gang members in it that also shot at me. Playing on Easy is a saving grace, but as someone who typically likes sneaking around games when the option is available, I wish the game made it more clear if I'm in a "suspicious" type zone. I also have no idea which NPC's are counted as potential enemies (the scan early in the story tells you if they're in a gang or not), as perfectly normal NPC's in the aforementioned bar just began unloading on me. It was wild, and I survived and got paid but the mission giver telling me it was sloppy work. Thanks, lady. Another time I opened a gate and trained my silenced pistol on the guard only for her to slightly sidestep as the gate opening “alerted” her. So I missed the shot, she opened fire, and the entire structure came out to play. It was an intense gunfight in which I was victorious, but it felt hollow as my silenced approach just botched the entire encounter. It was difficult for me to figure out what the game’s general “loop” is. So far it gives me the Ubisoft vibe of “hit everything you run into”. I do like the idea of V being something of a vigilante, as random police encounters pretty much allow you to intervene and gun down gang members without them bothering you about it. I must admit, however, I wish there was more to actually DO in the game. So far it’s mostly just side-gig after side-gig. Escort guy here, steal a van there, eliminate all enemies here. Though again, I said before that some of this can be quite enjoyable under the right circumstances. Maddening in others. In a way, this is kind of the Rage 2 problem all over again, in the sense that people loved the general gunplay but there wasn’t actually a lot of gameplay beyond the decent combat mechanics. Cyberpunk 2077 is certainly no GTA5, but I hope some day it can become that with DLC’s that add actual activities.

A couple of quick asides. I despise the driving, as most vehicles seem to want to spin out very easily if you hold the turning key for a second too long. In some fashion, it forces you to drive like an actual sane person and mowing down civilians (even accidentally) adds a GTA-esque wanted level though it seems stupidly easy to avoid. Narratively, it makes sense as the authorities in this universe are incredibly corrupt and it basically amounts to “eh, they’re too far now, let’s not waste resources”. So, fair enough. Still, I hope to GOD there’s no mandatory story-based racing. Games have screwed me on that before, and I have not beaten most GTA games because of that. Secondly, I don’t think the origin choice does a lot. You get different dialog choices and being a Corpo did lead to one interesting turn when you just ‘knew’ a credit chip had a virus on it. So there is that, but ultimately the rest of the dialog is identical. You could chalk this up to V spending six months with Jackie and he, more or less, lets your V really swim in Night City culture but honestly ALL V choices feel like they’ve become the same person. I was originally a Corpo but it just feels like her past and culture didn’t seep in through most of the dialog. At the end of the day, V is always just some mercenary punk. The world is gorgeous, albeit not as alive as it may have been advertised in promotions. Random civilians just have canned dialog, a lot of it rude. However I’ve been hard pressed to find doubles or clones of anyone just walking around, but that may change once I get into the hundreds of hour counts. It’s a very pretty game and despite some of my qualms, I am enjoying the experience. There’s a photo mode which is wonderful to utilize when you run into an environment that just captures the imagination. I took a screenshot of Jackie’s wall of pinups, including a typical slutty nun but as per the universe, her chest filled with beautifully placed cybernetics. It was just fun to see, and there’s a lot of semi-subtle world building like that that I just adore.

The game has issues. However, if you wanted a slightly scaled back idea of GTA5 with a different aesthetic, this is not at all a bad choice. However I will not blame anyone if they wait for the “GOTY” editions to come out. And on sale.

#Cyberpunk #Cyberpunk 2077 #2077 #cd projekt red

2 notes · View notes

liamjones · 5 years

Text

Surviving the 21st

Season 3 AU where everything’s the same except Philip and Trevor are a couple. Spoilers ahead, ye have been warned.

AO3 | All Chapters

Chapter 4: Perrow

For the first time that he can remember since Trevor moved in, Philip wakes up to an empty bed. His heart starts to race, until his mind clears enough for him to be able to hear his roommate downstairs, tinkering away at whatever it is he’s messing around with. Comforted by that knowledge, Philip takes his time waking up properly, stretching and rubbing excess sleep from his eyes. He eventually gets dressed, half convinced the shirt he just grabbed is actually Trevor’s and not his, but not really caring all that much now that Marcy and Carly know about them. Plus, the sweatshirt he’s pulling on will hide it anyway.

Half stumbling down the stairs, he catches sight of Trevor at the table, working on a gadget needed for an upcoming mission. Philip smiles to himself, always appreciating it when he gets the chance to watch Trevor work.

“He’s alive!”

Eyes roll and Philip makes his way to his computer. “Another exciting day in the 21st,” he mutters unenthusiastically, diverting towards the table to greet the engineer with a hand across the shoulder and a kiss to his temple.

“Every day is a gift, Philip,” he says in return of the greeting.

“Says the man who’s received the most gifts.”

“And I don’t take a single one for granted.” Finally, he turns towards Philip and offers up a proper greeting, their lips connecting for a lingering second.

Philip hums into the kiss, hand looping loosely around the other’s neck. “Why didn’t you wake me?” he asks once they eventually break apart.

“You were dead asleep when I got up. Figured you could use the rest. Not like we have anything going on today.”

“How considerate of you.”

“I thought so.”

“Oh shit…” Philip breathes out, eyes locked on the computer screen as he sits down, activating his comm immediately. “Boss, you there?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“The deep web is blowing up with a missing persons alert. Teams all around us are searching.” Philip notices Trevor coming to join him out of the corner of his eye, but it doesn’t actually register with him until a hand settles on his shoulder.

“A missing Traveler?”

“Not just any Traveler.”

“The Director calculated an 88 percent probability that an EEG,” Trevor joins in, reading the information on the screen over Philip’s head, “taken out on an accident victim yesterday belongs to Traveler 001.”

“Well, that’s got to be a mistake. He was overwritten by the Director.”

“All we know for sure is that a new consciousness was sent into the host body,” Philip points out.

“You’re saying 001 was already gone at that point?”

“It’s the only explanation.”

“How?”

“Don’t know, boss,” Trevor offers up. “But an EEG is kinda like a fingerprint. The Director would recognize it.”

“The patient was brought into Coastal Cross as a Jane Doe.”

“Where is she now?”

“Well, if it’s really 001, he was taken out of his room before the test results came back.”

“Shit. Okay, stay on it. I’ll go to the hospital, I’ll let you know what I find out.”

Turning his comm off, Philip lets out a low groan. “So much for a day of nothing.”

“Hey, at least you got to sleep in today,” Trevor reminds him with a grin, fingers running through his hair for just a second before disappearing again.

“That’s not the point,” he shouts after the other. He watches Trevor disappear upstairs before finally pushing himself out of the chair to go search for shoes and whatever else they might need for this manhunt.

It isn’t long into their morning hustle that Philip starts to feel his head get fuzzy, the first sign of his meds wearing off. So he slips into his old bedroom where he keeps said pills stashed (he isn’t sure why he still keeps them down here when Trevor knows about them and seems to be tolerant of his use of them). The remaining pill pulses in and out of existence, and it takes him a moment to focus before being sure it’s actually there. Once he is, he downs the pill, tosses the now empty bottle aside, and pulls out his phone to call in a refill.

He’s completely unaware of Trevor’s presence until he speaks up, making him jump. “Who’s that on the phone?”

“I have to get some medication.”

“Medication.”

“For the update. Which you’re also not supposed to know about. It’s Director approved.” He knows he’s being snippy, but he can’t exactly help it right now. Not having any back up pills has put him on a surprising edge, and having Trevor acting like he doesn’t trust him again isn’t exactly helping.

“You don’t have to keep telling me that, Phil, I know.”

“My relapse was a one-time thing. Which I’ve already told you. And Carly. And Marcy.”

“Cool.” Eyes close and Philip rubs his hands over his face, trying not to let Trevor’s obvious disagreement dig too deeply.

“You gotta trust me, I’ve got it under control.”

“I never said you didn’t.”

You don’t have to say it.

“But I’m still coming with you.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“As your boyfriend, yeah, I do. Come on. Let’s go!”

He wants to argue, to keep Trevor away from this like he’s supposed to, but there’s a louder part of him that needs his partner there with him.

The door opens, but he’s stopped by a hand pressed against his chest, and there’s a second of confusion before Trevor’s kissing him. It isn’t anything intense, if anything it almost feels reassuring, and Philip can’t help but lean into it, the hand not gripping his jacket rising to loop around Trevor’s neck.

“If you’re okay, then we’re okay. Yeah?” Trevor explains once he pulls back, his old, soulful eyes boring into Philip’s, and it’s all he can do to nod.

“Yeah. Got it. I’m okay.” The smile he receives in return nearly blows him off his feet, and he has to remind himself they’re off to get more medication for him and that they can’t just disappear back inside the garage and get lost in one another for a while.

---

And he was okay. Until the whole situation with Jeff and Carly. Granted, the whole back and forth between them isn’t where the problem laid. No, all was good through Jeff’s TELL and the arrival of the Traveler now inhabiting his body. It’s the afterwards that has Philip reeling a bit.

Carly and Jeff’s still, lifeless bodies sprawled out on the concrete in front of him, bullet holes in both their chests. What would’ve happened if the Director hadn’t taken Jeff’s body as a host. Neither one of them would’ve survived.

He knows it isn’t real, knows they both survived—well, both bodies, anyway—but he still can’t shake the uneasy feeling that comes with the visuals. Hopefully, choosing to be Jeff’s designated driver until there’s a chance to drop him off will be enough of a distraction until they get down to the nitty gritty of their actual objection for the afternoon.

Which, to absolutely no surprise, didn’t go nearly as well as hoped. No, he didn’t have any knowledge about what was going to happen, but that doesn’t mean Philip wasn’t convinced things wouldn’t end well for them. 001 is still out wandering around Washington somewhere, and no one has any clue where to find him. Or at least no one willing to help the Director.

---

“How do you do it?” Philip asks, glancing over at Trevor from across the kitchen as they take turns working on dinner.

Trevor doesn’t even glance up from the stove. “Do what?”

“Always have such a positive outlook on everything. Even with all the shit we have to deal with, you’re always so upbeat about it.”

He smiles, and a matching one finds its way to Philip’s face as well. “Practice. Living three full lifetimes allows for you to figure out how to react to various aspects of life in the way you want to, instead of letting your emotions or outside forces decide for you. After living so long, you realise it isn’t worth being mad or angry or pushed down by life, which only leaves positive reactions.”

Philip rolls his eyes, and judging by Trevor’s smirk in return, he caught it. “Doesn’t help the rest of us who only get one and a half lifetimes to live. If we’re lucky.”

“Or the ones seeing multiple timelines?” He makes a mumbled sort of noise in response, not really confirming Trevor’s comment, but not denying its validity either. “How about this?” Trevor catches his attention once more. “Tomorrow, assuming nothing too crazy happens, you and I get started on finding a way to help you deal with these timelines beyond your pills.”

“An entire day spent with you, focusing on me? I think I could get used to that,” Philip muses, sauntering up behind the engineer and wrapping the other man up in his arms, chin resting on Trevor’s shoulder as he enjoys the moment.

“It’s not all going to be spent in bed, you know.”

Philip hums. “I don’t see why not.”

“Because despite what you or your body might think, orgasms don’t fix everything.”

“Maybe not, but they do make things a whole lot more fun. Don’t act like you don’t agree, old man.”

A hip bumps back against his as Trevor slips out of his hold with a smirk. “I’m trying to make dinner here, remember?”

He lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. I’ll wait until after dinner to try and seduce you again.”

Half lidded eyes glance across the kitchen at him and he can’t help the way his stomach is suddenly in knots because of it. “No need to try, Philip. Now, dinner’s up! Let’s eat.”

#travelers #travelers netflix #philip pearson #trevor holden #phevor #my fics #surviving the 21st

8 notes · View notes

itsthefilmfeed · 6 years

Text

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - The Skywalker Saga Continues in this Action-packed Installment (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS)

Review by Michelle Contreras

As I sat back in the comfy leather seats and watched the star-dusted opening credits roll out in front of me, I reminisced about what it felt like watching the Star Wars series for the first time. It had been a long time since then, and my only hope was that Star Wars: The Last Jedi would be just as mind-boggling as the others. Shame on me for ever doubting the legendary billion-dollar franchise, because, spoiler alert: it was.

If you haven’t seen the previous installment, The Force Awakens, then I highly recommend you to grab some friends and get yourself back on track. Otherwise, you’d be in for a big surprise. For those who have seen it, then you know that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) makes an iconic return to the big screen, and this time, with a vengeance. Luke went into hiding, undetected, to the Porg-infested island of Ahch-To to die. Rey (Daisy Ridley) has a mission to bring Luke back to fight the Resistance as war is once again brewing against the First Order. Millions of porg-encounters later, Rey finally persuades Luke to lend her his knowledge in combat--leaving Luke unsettled by the strength of her powers.

This time around, Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern) leads the Resistance due to unforeseen circumstances. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Holdo go head to head as he refuses to follow Holdo’s rules. This creates major conflict in the storyline, as some things don’t necessarily go as planned during combat. We are also introduced to a new lead character, Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), who is a maintenance worker that guards the escape pods. She bonds with Finn (John Boyega) as she takes him to her wealthy home of Canto Bight. Though, there’s so much more to this planet than meets the eye.

Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) remains high and mighty just for show. It’s evident that he hides something deep within, something he cannot control; a slight hint of compassion. After a head-to-head conflict with Rey and Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), the film finally reveals who he truly is.

Now that you have an idea of what the film is about, let’s talk about the magic that goes on behind-the-scenes. To be quite honest, the writing had its lows. There were moments where the audience would let out an uncomfortable laugh due to the awkward, juvenile jokes that we know certain characters would never say or do. It felt out-of-touch with the Star Wars franchise, especially since they would be thrown in during the most serious, suspenseful scenes in the film. Despite that, the rest of the screenplay was groundbreaking. It gave the audience what they wanted and what they didn’t know they needed. Also, the cinematography was phenomenal. Shooting in locations like Ireland and Croatia, the visual effects team make it seem as though they are off in a galaxy far, far away, without strutting away from its natural beauty. Special effects, as always, are mind-blowing; it’s nearly impossible not to fathom lightsabers being real. Top it all off with detailed costume design and award-winning acting, and you’ve got yourself a masterpiece.

Ultimately, Star Wars: The Last Jedi exceeded far beyond my expectations, and I urge you to go out with your Jedi Knight robes and lightsabers and experience it behind the big screen. I give it 5/5 stars. Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres December 15 in the U.S. and is rated PG-13.

Rating: 5/5

P.S. Watch my interview with Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico) HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNAVzHdzeVM

2 notes · View notes

bat2018autoreview-blog · 6 years

Text

2018 Toyota C-HR Preview

2018 Toyota C-HR Preview- Toyota new C-HR is difficult to categorise, but one element is almost sure: this issue is going to promote in giant numbers. What’s the 2018 toyota C-HR ? think kia soul, but losing the container wherein it got here.

The name is derived from the design topic, that is “coupe excessive rider.” Nevermind that this 5-door hatchback isn’t a coupe, it does trip high. However, it is not to be had with an optional all-wheel-power machine that would make it even extra appealing to people residing in bloodless-climate climates.

Toyota says the C-HR is aimed at “city-living, style-ahead trendsetters.” yet, the organisation makes use of XLE and XLE Premium to indicate the 2 distinct C-HR fashions, due to the fact nothing says “style-ahead” just like the trim levels from grandpa’s camry.

2018 Toyota C-HR Exterior

2018 Toyota C-HR Exterior – Toyota’s team of global designers expounded on one theme: “special diamond.” the iconic gemstone evokes usual notions of luxurious, beauty, sophistication, and strength. designers translated these tendencies into a bodily form that’s together matchless, horny, muscular, and edgy. from the get-go, they strived to sculpt an city-residing crossover that would effortlessly navigate tight town streets and stand out, with an agile, dynamic expressiveness.

On the C-HR ’s nose, two narrow projector-beam halogen headlights with led sunlight hours strolling lighting fixtures wrap deep into its toned shoulders – nearly all of the manner into the the front quarter panels. due to this, the car appears wider than it is, and possesses an assertive fascia that’s uncommon inside the section.

Deep, curvy individual traces emerge from a distinguished toyota badge that’s flanked by using the headlamps, and lead into the narrower center body. they run below the slender home windows, and hold above the rear wheel in which they marry to a high beltline and unique c-pillar with integrated door take care of.

Appearance carefully on the silhouette to peer the clear resemblance of a diamond set on its aspect. effective arches housing the more-big 18-inch aluminum wheels accentuate the C-HR ’s robust posture and compact cabin.

The rear is a cohesive melding of its difficult traces and 3-d shapes. the tail lamps protrude outward, and the hatchback – outfitted with a lip spoiler and useful pinnacle wing – tapers well inboard, adding to the C-HR ’s futuristic look, and, yet again, unexpected girth.

2018 Toyota C-HR Interior

2018 Toyota C-HR Interior – Opening a door well-known shows a present day, spacious, and uncluttered interior having a eager placement of diamond accents and a driver-centric “mezone” orientation. along side the soft-touch materials protecting surfaces all through, the diamond sample influences the designs of the twin-zone weather controls, speaker surrounds, and black headliner above the the front passengers.

The slightly angled dashboard and amenity controls lets in for the motive force to have a clear view of the road beforehand and intuitive get admission to to instrumentation – a nod to the c-hr’s sports vehicle have an effect on. the 7-inch audio show is located centrally atop the sprint, as opposed to in it, with the intention to help reduce a driving force’s eye movements. an informative twin-ring gauge cluster resides at the back of the leather-based-wrapped multi-function guidance wheel. the wheel, with its slender profile, small diameter, and compact center pad, is reminiscent of a sports activities car’s smooth-to-grip helm. the satin-plated shift knob exudes a excellent feeling, and once in-hand, has a solid shift motion. a bright 4.2-inch shade multi-statistics show sits among the dual-ring cluster.

Key XLE popular capabilities encompass a premium leather steering wheel; power fold and heated mirrors; car-dimming rearview reflect with backup digicam; electric parking brake; and dual-zone weather manage. the xle top class builds upon the xle’s amenities and provides blind spot display and rear cross visitors alert; heated front seats; electricity lumbar driving force’s seat; vehicle fold, heated side mirrors with puddle lamps that project “toyota C-HR”; fog lamps; and clever key with push button begin. both grades are ready with a 7-inch touchscreen show having am/fm/hd radio™, aha™app, usb port and aux jack, bluetooth®, and voice recognition with voice training.

strengthened bucket seats help maintain passengers comfortable and comfortable, regardless of their travel’s period or dynamism. all passengers will admire the beneficiant quantity of small item garage space and cup holders. designers used scalloped seatbacks, foot properly cubbies carved beneath the the front seats, and a chamfered headliner to create a spacious backseat environment. sound insulating substances positioned on the carpet, headliner, a-pillars, and door trim to assist maintain all undesirable noises out and the best conversations in. for additonal shipment carrying versatility on weekend trips or errand runs, the rear 60/40 seat can break up and fold flat.

2018 Toyota C-HR Engine

2018 Toyota C-HR Engine – The c-hr’s engine, a punchy 2.0 -Liter 4-cylinder generating 144 horsepower and 140 pound-toes of torque, sends all power to the front wheels through constantly variable transmission (cvt). the engine employs many of toyota’s brand new technology of technology, which includes variable valve timing (vvt) and valvematic, both of that have received significant optimization to decorate gas economy and easy operation. valvematic gives a broader range of constantly variable valve timing (carry and phasing) to offer foremost consumption valve (no longer on exhaust aspect) operation relative to engine demands. furthermore, to lessen exhaust emissions, the catalyst is warmed in advance at some stage in the engine’s ignition cycle.

The all-new cvt acquired lots interest by engineers, and makes use of redesigned pulleys to enhance acceleration and fuel economy; a brand new belt shape to reduce cabin noise; and, a world’s-first coaxial -port oil pump machine that lets in for continuous oil stress modifications in diverse riding situations. a preload differential allows to distribute torque between the left and right wheels throughout low-pace operation to make for simpler, composed driving.

Of direction, drivers and passengers will recognize the powertrain’s fuel efficiency, astounding smoothness, and quiet operation, but they’ll love recreation mode and the simulated 7-speed sequential shiftmatic. engaging the sport mode through the mid increases the responsiveness of the throttle, quickens the cvt’s computerized synthetic “step-up” shifts, and keeps excessive engine speed to enhance acceleration. the eps’ feedback is weightier for a greater confidence-inspiring sense. pushing the gearshift over to the left at the same time as in force engages sequential shiftmatic, and shall we drivers shift simulated gears at their convenience.

2018 Toyota C-HR Release Date

2018 Toyota C-HR Release Date – the c-hr is going on sale on april, and wherein it earns some predominant factors is features for the cash. the bottom xle version is $23,460, including vacation spot. yes, fees are better than base 2wd variations of the hr-v ($20,405), trax ($21,895) and renegade ($19,090), but the c-hr is properly-geared up with loads of fashionable protection capabilities — many of which are not even available on this magnificence: forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, computerized emergency braking, lane departure warning with steerage assist, computerized high-beam headlights and adaptive cruise manage.

the xle top class is $25,310 and provides heated the front seats, a strength lumbar adjustment for the motive force’s seat, puddle lamps, foglights, push-button start and a blind spot warning system with rear move-visitors alert. one extra oddity in the functions department: a backup digital camera is wellknown, however the tiny photograph is displayed in the rearview mirror in preference to the multimedia display screen — an antiquated and unhelpful setup.

primarily based on austin’s booming real property marketplace and pervasive hipster vibe, millennials are fanatics of the strange, however within the case of the c-hr, they will possibly need something with individual that isn’t always just skin-deep.

The post 2018 Toyota C-HR Preview appeared first on 2018AutoReview.Com.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2MyiBPU via IFTTT

#Cars Review #Price #Specs #Release Date

0 notes

wrightleyreviewsstuff · 6 years

Text

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Before I begin, I would like to clarify that this is my first review of a game, but after playing this game, it just had to be my first. So if it is a bit sloppy in places, let me know. I can only get better from here on.

Background:

Back in 2014, I bought a little known game called Super Smash Bros for the Wii U. I remember loving it so much, and honestly, I still do. However, there was always a character in the roster that confused me. Shulk, who seemingly came from out of nowhere. With a bit of research (a look at his trophy page), I found out that he came from the game, Xenoblade Chronicles. I never heard of it before, nor even seen the box before now, despite coming out in 2011 here in Europe, a whole 3 years ago at that point. The game is a JRPG, created by Monoloth Soft and published by (who else?) Nintendo for the Wii. After looking through some gameplay footage on YouTube, it actually looked good, so I bought it on Amazon, and I loved it. The simple yet effective combat, the use of foresight to predict your enemies’ next move, the heavenly music, the stunning visuals, there really wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it. I even bought it again a year later for the New 3DS.

In 2015, Monoloth Soft released Xenoblade Chronicles X for the Wii U, and it was also a good game, though I only played through it once, and really don’t remember much about it off the top of my head. The formula from the first one is still there, with a brand new story, and new characters. I remember that there was a giant robot mechanic that was seriously underused, and pushed to the last hours of the game. Other than that, it was alright, if not a little forgettable, and music I had to turn off eventually.

In 2017, when they announced Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I was nothing but excited for the game to release. The trailer was a little meh in my eyes, but it was bound to be great regardless. Roll around to Christmas time, and the game was released on the 1st of the month. I didn’t have any money for it, and decided to wait until the holidays had ended before picking it up. That’s when Christmas Day arrived, and good old Santa left the presents under the tree, and there, I unwrapped none other than Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Thanks Mum. I played it on Boxing Day with excitement. But the worst thing happened... I didn’t like it, though I continued regardless for my Mother’s sake, and to see if there was any gold in here somewhere. I beat it not long ago. Why didn’t I enjoy it, like the rest of the world seems to be with its repeated 8-9s out of 10 and five star ratings? Let’s get started.

Story:

Okay. The story is about a young boy and his Titan going around, looking for treasure in a land completely covered by clouds, when he is summoned by the chairman, who is a Nopon, which honestly weren’t too bad in the other games (mostly because there weren’t that many). Anyway, he is asked to accompany a group of adventurers who are obviously NOT the main villains or anything, and traverse a sunken ship. The others, the Drivers, can fight because they have these things called Blades, and by the end of the first chapter, we get one to call our very own, before being betrayed and murdered, because oh my god, they totally were the main villains all along. The boy is brought back by this Legendary Blade, so they can find this place with a single tree together, to bring the entire colony up to it before the lands, which are all Titans too, crumble and die or something.

Honestly, the story wasn’t the worst one I’ve experienced. It wasn’t exactly on par with the original, but since this again, has nothing to do with the original game, like the Final Fantasy series, I will try to keep future comparisons to a minimum. It started to grow boring around the middle part, partly because it all felt like the same thing, just in a different place, but the final part was a bit more interesting... until the ending, which spoiler alert, felt a bit like a cop-out and seemingly like it pulled a good ending out of its ass at the last possible second.

The characters, maybe I am too jaded and a little harsh on it, but out of the colourful cast of heroes and villains the story has to offer, there was only two characters out of the lot that I actually found enjoyable, and they only join your team during the latter half.

Visuals:

Visually, this game is stunning, the best the series has ever looked, which is to be expected from the Switch’s capabilities. The character designs were detailed enough and recognisable. The scenery of the world is pleasing to the eye, especially from vantage points, which the game does disperse from time to time.

Gameplay:

Now here is where the main problems start to arise. Despite keeping the old formula from the original game, along with a few new elements, like the ability to change Blades, on the fly and can rack up some impressive combos in the right hands during combat. However, the combat and walky bits all feel really tedious. The game suffers from what I like to call Breath of The Wild Syndrome, meaning that it has a massive open world, yet long spaces of pure nothing. And to be fair to BOTW, it at least had landmarks and towns located off the beaten tracks, to make the long stretches worthwhile. With this game, it comes up that you have entered a new location, only the new location looks exactly the same as the one you were just at, so there’s only one reason to really explore, but I’ll get to that later.

The combat is tedious, to put into a single word. Whether you are five levels higher or lower than your enemy, you will always have to peel away at their huge health bars for minutes on end. You never feel like a badass in this game, because you never output incredible damage, even at the later levels... except for a couple of particular battles, where you are practically scripted not to lose.

Oh god, the side missions. These are easily one of the worst selections of sidequests I have ever seen in an RPG. Imagine being tasked by an NPC in an MMORPG to pick up some random crap, but instead of being shown where to get them, or even find them out in the open, you get no indication of where the item is sometimes, and even when you do, it is based on an RNG. That’s right, a Random Number Generator. Which means that item you need could show up all the time, or it can take up to an hour to just find one in a collection of seven. It doesn’t help that these items are needed to craft stronger equipment, so it is unavoidable if you want to succeed. In short, I got through the game using only the important sidequests that reward you with powerful stuff, and I still got through the game with only one small grinding session needed.

And for now, I would like to talk about Poppi, the single most broken thing in the game, with customisable stats, elements and another character I like... too bad she is attached to easily the most annoying character in the game. In the right hands, you can take out the other characters altogether, and still manage to beat that superboss, positioned around regular enemies, because apparently, getting anally fisted with an iron gauntlet is an acceptable learning curve.

The next drawback is really a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s the only reason I got through the game, but on the other hand, it made enemy encounters obsolete at best. I’m talking about the inn system. When the characters stay at an inn, you get the ability to level up instantly, depending on how much EXP you’ve accumulated from visiting locations, completing story and side missions, and basically anything over than defeating enemies. As long as you do it after each chapter, you will never be too far behind, considering you get so little EXP for enemies alone.

The problem I had with the game was something that I found incredibly ridiculous for an RPG. Timers, and pot luck. Eventually, you can send out Blades on their own missions for EXP and money, further making sidequests pointless. However, they are all centred around timers, from 30 minutes and an hour and a half a time. When you get a Legendary Core, to get better Blades, there is an invisible timer before you can use them in battle, and they go on for so long, that their usefulness has likely ran out by the time you activate them.

And don’t get me started on the most backwards part of the game, in my opinion. Each Blade has a trait or two to use on the field, which can help change environments and allow passage to secret areas. Only problem is that these traits are random, and getting a good Blade is as easy as finding hay in a needle stack, so prepare for a lot of watching the same awakening cutscene, because they only allow you to skip part of it. Luckily, there isn’t that many mandatory obstacles based around this, but good luck getting anything in the last few places.

Lastly, this is more of a nitpick, but why can’t you use the Foresight in battle. I know this isn’t the first game, but if they can do it in cutscenes, why can’t I do it? Perhaps then, the main character would be worth keeping on the team.

In short, the gameplay felt less like an epic adventure and more like an endurance test, and mostly left to luck.

Sound:

Oh boy, now we get to the sound. I’m just going to go ahead and say that I do not mean any disrespect to the English voice cast, who likely did the best they could with what they were given, but this is the only game I’ve played where I had to turn the volume down when a cutscene activated.

The game tries to go for the regional and cultural diversity approach, which is admirable, if it wasn’t painfully obvious the lines weren’t delivered by Americans doing bad accents. Some characters just didn’t fit their voice, and even the ones that fit perfectly deliver their lines in an inhuman and forced way, like you’d expect from games like The House of The Dead series. This wouldn’t be too bad if the characters knew how to shut up for more than five seconds at a time. Each character is given a set of three quips to spout out on the field and especially in battle, and they never show mercy with letting you know about them.

The best moment like that was during the fight with the Ardainian soldiers, each with their quips, each and every one. I once tried to escape without fighting them, and encountered at least six at a time, so I had to fight them off, only to hear a choir of “THINK YOU CAN TAKE ME!” over and over, overlapping each other because they all decide to say it at the same time. I crumbled to the floor in laughter. It was cringey, campy, and hilarious, so if that was their intention, then kudos.

The music was alright, though I can’t really remember most tracks that played, other than the main battle theme and a couple of the towns and boss themes, but they each gave a different sound, fitting to where you are in the world. So the music wasn’t a deal-breaker. More laidback than the first one, but way better than the music that X provided, where only one track stood out in a sea of mundanity and annoyances.

Misc.:

This section would normally be where I bring up little things that can’t be categorised anywhere else, but really, the only thing noteworthy to bring up, is ask why they felt the need to over-sexualise some characters. There were times where it worked to its favour, don’t get me wrong, but there are times where the fan service gets strange, Japanese strange. Not much of a complaint, just something I wanted to include.

Final Opinions:

So what did I think of Xenoblade Chronicles 2? It wasn’t the worst game I ever played, but it was a big disappointment to its name, but apparently, people loved it regardless, so there must be something they have seen that I could not. And if you do, more power to you, but I have no intention of picking this back up for the recently added New Game +. The game was indeed a new kind of beautiful, but this just goes to show that graphics alone don’t carry an easily 60 hour game.

I would recommend this game to people who are looking for a time-spending JRPG and are patient enough to see it through to the end. If not, you could always save your time and money and pick something else. You’re not missing much.

2/10!

I’m sorry for starting off on such a sour negative review, but I felt this needed to be shared. Next time, I’ll write something much more positive.

Oh, and for the record, I do know the game is in the same universe as Xenogears and the Xenosaga series, but as of writing this review, I haven’t played any of them.

#xenoblade #xenoblade chronicles 2 #wrightley #review

0 notes

jamesmcphee30 · 7 years

Text

Automating Documentation

Tedium is the enemy of productivity. The fastest way for a task to not be done is to make it long, boring, and somewhat complicated. People who feel that something is tedious or repetitive are the ones more likely to marginalize a task. And I think I speak for the entire industry when I say that there is no task more tedious and boring than documentation. So how can we fix it?

Tell Me What You Did

I’m not a huge fan of documentation. When I decide on a plan of action, I rarely write it down step-by-step unless I’m trying to train someone. Even then, it looks more like notes with keywords instead of a narrative to follow. It’s a habit that has been borne out of years of firefighting in networks and calls to “do it faster”. The essential items of a task are refined and reduced until all that remains is the work and none of the ancillary items, like documentation.

Based on my previous life as a network engineer, I can honestly say that I’m not alone in this either. My old company made lots of money doing network discovery engagements. Sometimes these came because the previous admins walked out the door with no documentation. Other times, it was simply because the network had changed so much since the last person made any notes that what was going on didn’t resemble anything like what they thought it was supposed to look like.

This happens everywhere. It doesn’t take many instances of an network or systems professional telling themselves, “Oh, I’ll write it down later…” for later to never come. Devices get added, settings get changed, and not one word is ever written down. That’s the kind of chaos that causes disorganization at best and outages at worst. And I doubt there’s any networking pro out there that hasn’t been affected by bad documentation at one time or another.

So, how do we fix documentation? It’s tedious for sure. Requiring it as part of the process just invites people to find ways around it. And good documentation takes time. Is there a way to combine the lack of time, lack of requirement, and repetition and make documentation something that is done again? I think there is. And it requires a little help from process.

Not Too Late To Automate

Automation is a big thing right now. SDN is driving it. Network complexity is practically requiring it. Yet networking professionals are having a hard time embracing it. Why?

In part, networking pros don’t like to spend hours solving a problem that can be done in minutes. If you don’t believe me, watch one of the old SNL Nick Burns sketches. Nick is more likely to tell you to move than tell you how to fix your problem. Likewise, if a network pro is spending four hours writing an automation script that is supposed to execute a change that can be made in 20 minutes, they’re not going to want to do it. It’s just the nature of the job and the desire of the network professional to make every minute count.

So, how can we drive adoption of automation? As it turns out, automating documentation can be a huge driver. Automation of tedious tasks is exactly the thing that scripting and automation was designed to solve. Instead of focusing on the automation of the task, like adding VLANs to a set of switches, focus on the ability of the system to create documentation on the fly from the change.

Let’s walk through an example. In order for documentation to matter, it has to answer the 5 Ws. How can we automate that?

Let’s start with Who. Automation can create documentation saying user Hollingsworth made a change through an automated process. That helps the accounting side of the house figure out the person making changes in the network. If that person is actually a script, the Who can be changed to reflect that it was an automated process called by a person related to a change ticket. That gives everyone the ability to track the changes back to a given problem. And it can all be pulled in without user intervention.

What is also an easy automation task. List the configuration being applied. At first, the system can simply list the configuration to be programmed. But for menial and repetitive tasks like VLAN additions you can program the system with a real description like “Adding VLANs to $Switch to support $ticket”. Those variables can be autopopulated based on the work to be done. Again, we reference a ticket number in order to prove that these changes are coming from somewhere.

When is also critical. Are these changes happening in a maintenance window? Or did someone check them in in the middle of the day because they won’t cause any problems? (SPOILER ALERT: They will) By required a timestamp for changes, you can track which professionals are being cavalier with their change management. You can also find out if someone is getting into the system after hours to cause problems or attempt to compromise things. Even if the cause of the change is “immediately” due to downtime or emergency, knowing why it had to be checked in right away is a clue to finding problems that recur in the network.

Where is a two-pronged reason. It’s important to check where the changes are going to be applied. Is it going to be done to all switches in the organization? Or just a set in a remote office. Sanity checking via documentation will keep you from bricking your entire organization in one fell swoop. Likewise, knowing where the change is being checked in from is important. Is a remote office trying to change config on HQ switches? Is a remote engineer dialed in making changes related to an open support case? Is someone from a foreign nation making changes via VPN at 4:30am local time? In every case, you’d really want to know what’s going on before those changes get made.

Why is the one that will trip up everything. If you don’t believe me, I’d like to give you the top two reasons why Windows Server 2003 is shut down and rebooted with the shutdown justification dialog box:

a;lkdjfalkdflasdfkjadlf;kja;d

JUST ****ing SHUT DOWN!!!!!

People don’t like justifying their decisions. Even when I worked for Gateway 2000 on their national help desk, our required call documentation was a bit spotty when it came to justification for changes. Why did you decide to FDISK and reload? Why are you going into the registry to fix the icon colors? Change justification is half of documentation. It gives people something to audit. It gives people a way to look at things and figure out why you started down the path of a particular reasoning for problem solving. It also provides context for you after the fact when you can’t figure out why you did it the way you did.

Tom’s Take

Automation isn’t going to take away your job. Automation is going to do the jobs you hate doing. It’s going to make your life easier to concentrate on the tasks that need to be done by freeing you from the tasks that should be done and aren’t. If we can make automation document our networks for just six months, I think you’ll find the value in programming things to work this way. I also think you’ll be happier with the level of detail on your network. And once you can prove the value of automating just one task to your teams, I’m sure they’ll see the value of increasing automation all around.

from martinos https://networkingnerd.net/2017/08/18/automating-documentation/

0 notes