#IPE Summer 18

[bokujou-monogatari]

So, the Marvelous CEO stepped down.

Let's talk about that!

❕This post contains speculative discussion covering: Marvelous Entertainment, Rune Factory, Story of Seasons, and touches on other IPs in the Marvelous folio. Also some fiscal discussion! It might be boring 😅...❕

Following the money

For those unaware, Marvelous isn't doing so well fiscally. In response to a (consistently) poor earnings report from 2024, the current Marvelous CEO Sato Suminobu announced his retirement from the position to elevate Shinichi Terui (an executive director) in his place.

The reasoning for the poor fiscal reporting was cited as "too few core IP releases and low sales".

What does that mean for the future? Well, while this decision focuses on 2024's performance, let's first take a bit to recap the first-time releases from 2019 to now:

January 18, 2019: Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes

June 3, 2019: Dead or School

June 9, 2019: Senran Kagura: Peach Ball

July 18, 2019: WACCA

September 13, 2019: Daemon x Machina

October 17, 2019: Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town

February 6, 2020: Granblue Fantasy: Versus

February 25, 2020: Rune Factory 4 Special

August 25, 2020: Kandagawa Jet Girls

November 5, 2020: Shadowverse: Champion's Battle

November 10, 2020: Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin

February 25, 2021: Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town

May 20, 2021: Rune Factory 5

(Almost a year later!) May 19, 2022: Deadcraft

October 17, 2022: Potionomics

November 2, 2022: Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom

January 26, 2023: Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life

March 2, 2023: Rune Factory 3 Special

June 1, 2023: Loop8: Summer of Gods

October 3, 2023: Silent Hope

November 3, 2023: Fashion Dreamer

November 9, 2023: Cuisineer

(Almost a year later, again!) November 1, 2024: Farmagia

Dry Spells

From 2019 to 2024, 23 titles (please correct me if I missed any!) were delivered. 2022 and 2024 were undoubtedly fiscally dry periods, with one-year periods between releases.

Of the released titles in this period, 10 were from more notorious series; and 6 of those were from the company's self-described Flagship IPs (3 from Story of Seasons and Rune Factory respectively)!

Despite Rune Factory and Story of Seasons being flagship IPs, over half of the games (4/6) released 2019-2024 were remakes or remasters of previous titles (Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town, Rune Factory 4 Special, Rune Factory 3 Special, and Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life), leaving only 2 titles as standalone, new mainline entries in their respective series. Oh, and there was Doraemon too, I guess.

Even with the massive sales seen - with Pioneers of Olive Town being the fastest selling XSEED published title ever and Rune Factory 5 topping 500,000 units sold worldwide after an unprecedented comeback - the games still massively under-performed at launch. The backlash was so strong for Olive Town that the producer (Dai Takemura) was run off his social media platforms and formally apologized for the poor launch. Rune Factory 5 also suffered during the Japanese launch, garnering criticisms from Japanese and North American fans alike amid celebrations of the series' return. This left fans in each space wondering what their favorite series would look like after such rocky starts on the new Nintendo Switch hardware.

The Future, Sprouting

Despite the struggles and setbacks, and nothing to really "make it rain", the flagship series are continuing to grow with 2 new additions to Story of Seasons - a cross-play online multiplayer title, and the next mainline game (purportedly the 30th anniversary entry) - and 2 new Rune Factory games - with entry 6 in development, and Guardians of Azuma releasing in May 2025.

These games are really going to have to do something outstanding to make up for the broken trust of their fans. But with a company struggling with its financials, there's always going to be a tug of war between satisfying fans and generating revenue.

This is where speculative analysis on my part comes in.

Flexible and Mobile

Current market trends point towards more open-world, cel-shaded style games for mobile (ala Hoyoverse games, Wuthering Waves notably). And the Nintendo Switch is, after all, a glorified touchscreen tablet. It's not lost on fans that there's something going on in the background regarding the games' development, and how eerily alike they are in visuals into some of the bigger, heavy hitting and grossing mobile titles out there.

The style on its own is simplistic, colorful, and warm. It's also very fast to develop and refine - no overly complicated textures or super granular details. The art direction also makes it lighter than other games which have many materials or polygons. It just works.

However, that can point to speculation around development; whether the studio is trying to streamline into shorter times...or is headed in a mobile direction. Let's take a look at some recently released screenshots from Guardians of Azuma.

There are elements of UI design displayed here that would feel right at home on a device held in one's hands, and not just with controllers in palms! Make no mistake, mobile is not an insult here. In fact, mobile may be just the direction these series need in order to sustain themselves in the current market era. Mobile gaming currently accounts for (roughly) 110 billion USD annually, across the globe! Even indies like Stardew Valley can see sizeable mobile market gains from concurrent releases on app stores.

It also wouldn't be the first time either series appeared on mobile. A company with as long a history and staying power as Marvelous would surely see no small number of players and a steady revenue for Story of Seasons and Rune Factory by tapping back into that market. Perhaps we're due to see things sprout on that platform soon?

(What happened to that in-development Story of Seasons Mobile title, anyway...?)

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, May 25th

Night. Angel knocks on Buffy's front door and Joyce opens it. Joyce: Faith. Angel. Angel: Hi, Joyce, nice to see you. Is Buffy home? Joyce: Upstairs. Please tell me it's not some vampire thing. Angel: The only vampire here is me, Joyce. Say, you change your hair? Joyce: (shrugs) Highlights. Angel: Nice.

~~Enemies~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Intoxicating by veronyxk84 (Spike, The First, R)

Birthday Girl by In_the_universe (Buffy/Faith, Faith & Maggie Walsh, T)

Right by Jinxgirl (Giles/Faith, T)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Chasing the Light - Chapter 16 by CloudSeeker (Angel/Lindsey, Explicit)

Bed, Blood, & Beyond - Chapter 2–7 by LadyLegolas (Buffy x Angel, M)

Used to Bite People, Now I’m Tracking IPs with Buffy Bloody Summers - Chapter 1–3 by Fangellic (Buffy/Spike, Dawn, M)

today doesn’t count – Chapter 3–5 by modestlobster (Buffy/Spike, M)

Do as Romans do Ch 54 by OldGirl-NoraArlani (Buffy, Dawn, Spike, OC, T, in French)

The Freshman Fifteen: The Memory Shop Ch 9 by michael t (Cordelia, Larry, OCs, T)

Bring Me To Life Ch 83 by Jean-theGuardian (Angel, Buffy, T)

The Plan, Ch. 17–18 by NotYourGrave (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

The Zeppo In Time, Ch. 14–15 by CheekyKitten (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Sojourns in Heaven, Ch. 8 by elements (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

I Spy, Ch. 9 by Geliot99 (Buffy/Spike, R)

A Century of Longing, Ch. 5 by Pyewacket (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

The Deadly Poet’s Society, Ch. 1–4 by Annie Dolnar (Spike & OCs, PG-13)

Float, Ch. 15 by Grief Counseling (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Hearts a Mess, Ch. 10 by splendidchapette (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Mood board: “This is kind of a curve ball for me.” by tenderjock (Angel, Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Moodboard: willow x buffy by courtillyy (worksafe)

Moodboard: bi greyaro aceflux agender angel by courtillyy (worksafe)

A "Not what I'm called" meme by tiaragloryart (Buffybot, Giles, worksafe)

Here, Kitty, Kittyyy… by Harmony99 (R)

Spike by vampiradox (some nudity)

[Reviews & Recaps]

how can all the girls in this show be so iconic? by maxdibert

One of the problems with how Connor was handled... by dreamsinstopmotion

"Predators and Prey" (Dark Horse comics) by professeurm

"Retreat" (Dark Horse comics) by professeurm

I think in this world you are a Part A TV Show Person or a Part B TV Show Person by socratesgirlnextdoor

Season 7: Favorite and least favorite episodes by speashasha

Why the dislike for the episode Ted? by streetxtrash

Best scenes/lines of dialogue from “least liked” seasons or underrated seasons by porchpoetics

[Recs & In Search Of]

Elysian Fields featured fics: May 19–June 1 (Buffy/Spike, theme: Poetry)

[Fandom Discussions]

Putting Buffy Characters Into PJO Cabins (Percy Jackson crossover, anti Liam)

BtVS Mysticism by chloe--summers

“Came back wrong” is great, but what about “came back empty” by pink-spaceturtle5

I’ve never been a big fan of Anya’s by sulietsexual

Fred appreciation post by br4inr0tdumpst3rfir3

I just wanted to say I love Warren's eyes by saivanmarly, garscrucible

despite some legitimately terrifying monsters on BTVS, I find the human ones to be the worst by femmedefandom, notbraveenoughforpolitics

Teenage Fashion by nightshade, NoShip and others

Would “Angel” Be Darker (if it was made today)? by nightshade and others

Angel's real personality by Interesting-Tea3907

Was Joyce actually in on it and did Buffy tell her beforehand (in Enemies)? hosted by KENZOKHAOS

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

James Marsters GalaxyCon Oklahoma City 2025 Reports, Pics & Videos via dontkillspike

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[sterkeyra]

Kento Kuroe - Main Story Walkthrough

With "Can We Start Over?" we got the first of the three new titles that Voltage announced for this year. It actually fits the summer vibe that we have right now compared to the JP release back in April 🤭 Each of the new IPs will be Love Choice (so you get to read for free for the general plot but any kind of cute scene costs hearts). Compared to Plust its not possible to unlock SHE without hearts - just by choosing the correct options - sadly. Additionally, all of the new titles currently seem to have 2 LIs.

In this case we have Kento Kuroe and Ryo Haruki. They are childhood friends of the MC, however they haven't seen each other in ages ever since she moved away. The story starts with MC witnessing her fiancee having an affair with a younger colleague. A similar premise to Kings of Paradise or In Your Arms Tonight :)

However, MC gave up her apartment and job to devote herself to the fiancee so she stands with the back to the wall and flees to her hometown. There she has a fateful encounter with her two childhood friends that now live together in a sharehouse and luckily there's still a free room so the healing journey can begin.

Kento is quite the sweetheart. He seems cold and abrasive but he is a bad actor and has a soft spot for his childhood friend. His intentions are sometimes so hilariously obvious that it's amusing how often MC is clueless about his actions. It's great that Ryo is a great wingman and Kentos comrade in (h)arms, because they both suffer under MCs cluelessness so they support each other. To be honest, they probably might have not ended up together without his nagging because they had such bad timing and both struggled to utter there wishes because they didn't want to inconvenience each other.

It was a very sweet and funny ride and I think especially fans of Taki, My Last First Kiss or Dreamy Days in West Tokyo might quite enjoy the title. While the title is mostly soft it does have its mature moments as well and I think the characters were quite well developed. I wouldn't say that MC does not shine with her personality.

As i've seen a few people overexaggerating the prices i've decided to make a min budget walkthrough where you can get SHE and all CGs for about 136 Hearts. If you buy hearts via their webshop you might get it for about 12-14$.

Here as promised the guide, just choose the ✨ options for the budget guide:

Kento Kuroe - Main Story

18 LM needed for HE 23 LM needed for SHE

✨Ch 4 - 5 ❤️ / 1LM Ch 5 - 10 ❤️ / 1LM ✨Ch6 - 16 ❤️ / 2LM + CG Ch 8 - 16 ❤️ / 1LM ✨Ch 9 - 0 ❤️ / 1LM ✨Ch 10 - 18 ❤️ / 3LM + CG Ch 12 - 12 ❤️ / 1LM ✨Ch 13 - 14 ❤️ / 3LM Ch14 - 15 ❤️ / 2LM ✨Ch15 - 17 ❤️ / 4LM Ch16 - 20 ❤️ / 2LM Ch17 - 16 ❤️ / 2LM Ch18 - 24 ❤️ / 3LM ✨Ch19 - 29 ❤️ / 4LM + CG

Min amount for HE 96 ❤️ Min amount for SHE 136 ❤️

Total amount of hearts for all choices: 212

Here's the outlook on the CGs to check what you can look forward to, full resolution in the app! Give him a try if childhood friend tropes are your thing! Even with similar premise to other titles it still felt refreshing 😄

Oh yes and Season 2 is slated for the end of the year!

[beardedmrbean]

A former editor for the left-leaning website The Recount has reportedly been charged with multiple counts of child pornography.

According to Massachusetts authorities, 44-year-old Slade Sohmer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of dissemination of child pornography.

Sohmer was arrested at his residence in Otis, Mass., on Friday, several weeks after law enforcement obtained a search warrant and confiscated his personal electronic devices.

An investigation into Sohmer was started after authorities received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities later traced the content in the lead to the IP address of Sohmer’s home internet.

INSTAGRAM ALGORITHM BOOSTS ‘VAST PEDOPHILE NETWORK,' BOMBSHELL REPORT CLAIMS

After searching through Sohmer’s phones, laptops, and tablets, investigators initially uncovered 1,300 files, with hundreds that included child sexual abuse media. One of the pictures depicted the rape of a child around four years old.

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Sohmer was released on $100,000 bail Monday after he was charged and arraigned in Berkshire District Court. He allegedly disseminated "hundreds of child pornography images and videos," some of which included toddlers, court documents showed.

The district attorney’s office said some of the materials were sent to others via Telegram and Snapchat. In 2021, Sohmer allegedly discussed how to "lure, kidnap and rape children" with another individual.

Prosecutors claimed that Sohmer may have produced some of the content found on his devices.

Authorities said they expect more charges to be leveled against Sohmer once they finish scanning his devices.

Sohmer, who worked as editor-in-chief at The Recount for four years, was ordered to have no internet access, engage in mandatory location notifications to a probation officer and avoid contact with those under 18.

Sohmer was removed from his position at The Recount around the time the investigation into him began. He will return to court on December 21 and faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years if convicted of dissemination and another five years if convicted of possession.

He previously worked as a managing editor at Mic, was a SiriusXM radio host and co-founded Hyper Vocal news site.

Sohmer also previously served as a camp counselor. A 2014 Instagram post from "Summer 365" identified Sohmer as a "camp legend," and his LinkedIn says he has served as a co-director at Camp Power since 2010.

BuzzFeed appeared to take down an article about Sohmer from 2018 headlined, "People Are Touched By This Writer's Conversation With A Bunch Of Fourth Graders." The article highlighted him recounting taking questions from youngsters in a classroom taught by his mother. 

Berkshire County District Attorney's Office, The Recount and BuzzFeed did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The Recount was founded in 2019 by left-wing journalist John Heilemann and John Battelle. It had reported financial struggles by 2022 and was sold off to video news startup The News Movement earlier this year.

[astromechs]

this summer/general year at the box office is fascinating to me. before i start with an analysis, let's give a couple of stats from box office mojo.

the top 5 films domestically of 2023:

and the top 5 films worldwide of 2023:

you'll see a lot of pundits saying that "franchises are dead!" and that's not true; the two billion-dollar movies this year are super mario brothers and barbie, both of which come from some of the most well-known ip that's ever existed. both of those films will inevitably get sequels. big ip, and the franchises that spur off of them, are going nowhere.

but what is interesting is that what seemed to be most successful was new ip to film, and meanwhile a lot of established franchises utterly crashed and burned. despite pulling in over $700 million worldwide, fast x probably won't even turn a profit because of its ridiculous budget. elemental, ant-man and the wasp: quantumania, and indiana jones and the dial of destiny couldn't even crack $500 million worldwide. the live-action remake of the little mermaid passed that mark but is still a box office disappointment.

and the flash only made $268,533,313 worldwide before being quietly shuffled out of theaters and onto max (the artist formerly known as hbo max). not to mention that blue beetle has pulled in barely over $100 million worldwide and it's been in theaters for 18 days. yikes; that's bad for a tentpole.

disney is suffering big, but so is everyone else. barbie aside, warner brothers releases have tanked, and this is true for every studio. superhero films, a box office juggernaut for the past fifteen years, only saw sizable box office hits in gotg vol 3 and across the spider-verse, otherwise crashing and burning on arrival — but the fact that those two movies could pull money tells me it's not superhero fatigue, either. if it's not franchise fatigue and it's not superhero fatigue, then what is it?

it's bad franchise fatigue. audiences are clearly getting tired of the content machine spewing an endless stream of mediocre content at them, and hollywood is, in and of itself, at a reckoning point, being forced by the wga and sag-aftra strikes to reckon with how much they're underpaying people to feed their beast. and we have in-house vfx workers at disney making efforts to try to unionize.

the current hollywood business model is unsustainable, and despite pulling a few hits out this year, the box office reflects this just as much as the strikes do. since the only language that studio executives speak is money, it's right here in front of them.

[denimbex1986]

'Barbenheimer day is finally almost here. The most anticipated A-list showdown since 50 Cent vs. Kanye West in 2007 has fueled double feature ticket sales, earned support from other summer stars, and fueled an entire cottage industry of tweets, memes, and custom merch. But the question hanging over the dual blockbusters has been a simple one—are they actually good movies?

Barbie, in particular, has kept its actual plot details under extremely tight wraps, even as Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling have been on an elite charm offensive on the promo circuit. Oppenheimer, obviously draws from historical events and the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography American Prometheus, but Christopher Nolan has shown with Dunkirk and the Nikola Tesla character in The Prestige that he’s willing to put his distinct Nolanian spin on historical facts and figures.

With release day fast approaching, critical reactions to the two movies have begun to roll out—and the good news is they’ve been massively positive. Barbie got the inside lane by lifting its review embargo the evening of July 18, as opposed to midday on the 19th for Oppenheimer. Greta Gerwig’s big swing has hailed at as an ambitious, madcap movie with Indiewire praising the writing, production design, and the…Kens? “All Barbies delight, but the Kens, appropriately enough, launch a real sneak attack, especially Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Michael Cera nearly makes off with the whole thing as the singular sidekick Allan,” wrote Kate Erbland. Variety highlighted the movie’s “high-concept” nature and its ability to grapple with issues related to harmful, unattainable beauty standards. “Gerwig has made the kind of family film she surely wishes had been available to her when she was a girl, sneaking a message (several of them, really) inside Barbie’s hollow hourglass figure,” Peter Debruge said.

Writing for RogerEbert.com, Christy Lemire said the juxtaposition between the “real world” and a seeming utopia is reminiscent of The Truman Show or The Lego Movie, but that Gerwig’s direction brings a distinct perspective to the film. Lemire praised the work of Robbie and the way her Barbie character deepens as the film progresses.

Not everyone was sold on Barbie though: Richard Lawson, reviewing for Vanity Fair, wrote that there “are a few laugh-out-loud gags in the film, but just as many jokes clunk around like cheap plastic. The script is so strenuously wacky that it runs the movie ragged pretty quickly.” Meanwhile for Vulture, critic Allison Willmore argued that just because the film features a beloved auteur gamely taking on corporate IP, its success shouldn’t be graded on a curve: “There’s a streak of defensiveness to Barbie, as though it’s trying to anticipate and acknowledge any critiques lodged against it before they’re made, which renders it emotionally inert despite the efforts at wackiness.”

Oppenheimer praise has been a bit more effusive so far. One viewer who couldn’t care less about embargoes is Academy Award winner Paul Schrader, who wrote a glowing review of the movie on his Facebook page. “The best, most important film of this century. If you see one film in cinemas this year it should be Oppenheimer. I’m not a Nolan groupie but this one blows the doors off the hinges,” he said. (Schrader co-wrote Raging Bull and Taxi Driver, and has directed incredible films like First Reformed, so his reverence certainly carries weight.)

The Hollywood Reporter noted that the movie is more calculated and contemplative than high-octane action thriller. “Perhaps the most surprising element of this audacious epic is that the scramble for atomic armament ends up secondary to the scathing depiction of political gamesmanship,” David Rooney wrote. In a review for RogerEbert.com, Matt Zoller Seitz said that what matters most in Oppenheimer is “the human face,” praising Nolan’s use of intimate close-ups on not only Cillian Murphy, but also supporting characters like Emily Blunt and Matt Damon. (Zoller Seitz also notes that the actual effects of the atomic bomb being dropped in Japan are “talked about but never shown,” noting potential backlash from audiences who wanted the decision as an act of war to be reckoned with more explicitly.)

As Keith Phipps wrote, pitting the two movies against each other is ultimately the wrong conversation to be having, fun though it may be. Both seem to be deeply original, ambiguous works from within the Hollywood system, the kinds of things we just don’t get enough of anymore. Besides, the box office battle seems to be over before it ever started, with Barbie projected to eclipse Oppenheimer on opening weekend —but if anyone has ruled the summer with a commanding consistency for the last decade, it’s Christopher Nolan.'

[cyarskaren52]

these video games had gamers rage quitting

The Worst Videogames of 2023

On this page we rank the lowest-scoring games released for any platform between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. Games are ranked by Metascore (as of December 18, 2023) prior to rounding, and any titles with fewer than 7 reviews from professional critics are excluded. (In other words, these bad games are all major enough to get reviews from multiple publications.) 

If a single title would have landed on the list multiple times due to low scores on more than one platform, we only included the lowest-scoring version.

#10: Gargoyles Remastered

1 / 10

49

Photo by Disney Electronic Content

Disney's 1995 Sega Genesis platformer Gargoyles (based on the cartoon series of the same name) got the remaster treatment in 2023, but unless you are a die-hard fan of the IP, the new version has little to recommend it. Critics have complained about the remake's frustrating difficulty level and too-short length and wonder why the game needed to be brought back at all.

"Even those who enjoyed the show, but never played the original game, may have trouble immersing themselves in Gargoyles Remastered. Many of the changes made in Gargoyles Remastered are simply that - changes - and not necessarily improvements, leading to an overall disappointment for the potential this could have had." —Screen Rant

#9: Loop8: Summer of Gods

2 / 10

49

Photo by XSEED Games

A JRPG set in an alternate reality version of rural 1980s Japan, Loop8 finds your time-looping teenage protagonist battling a race of demons called the Kegai. (The "8" in the title stands for August, the month that you "get" to re-live again and again, theoretically fixing your mistakes each time.) Critics saved the majority of their complaints for the turn-based battle system, though the story and the game's overall repetitiveness also drew their ire. 

"The end result is a shallow, disjointed, and undeveloped experience. Rather than reflecting the nuances of our everyday lives, Loop8 most closely resembles the lives of aquarium fish." —GamingTrend

#8: Gangs of Sherwood

3 / 10

48

Photo by Nacon

A co-op action game set in Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest in which you play as one of the Merry Men? Not a bad idea for a videogame. But one that is set in a dystopian steampunk sci-fi version of Sherwood Forest filled with far-too-easy boss fights and poor overall execution? That, unfortunately, is what Gangs of Sherwood turns out to be. 

"By selling Gangs of Sherwood, Nacon is robbing from the gullible and giving to the inept. I'd have worked on a better closing analogy, but this game isn't bloody worth it." —The Jimquisition

#7: Hellboy: Web of Wyrd

4 / 10

47

Photo by Good Shepherd Entertainment

The world still doesn't have a good Hellboygame. Though it's slightly better than 2008's The Science of Evil, beat-em-up roguelike Web of Wyrd fails in its gameplay despite laudable visuals, the casting of the late Lance Reddick as Hellboy, and a clear respect for its source material (Mike Mignola's Hellboy comics). Note that the PC version scored 14 points higher than the console release (which still doesn't make it a good game—just a mediocre one.)

"Between its sticky brawling mechanics, repetitive level design, and extremely low difficulty, Hellboy Web of Wyrd simply feels like an unfinished game that was early on its journey to greatness. There's a heft to its combat, yet the controls aren't nearly snappy enough, and it's too easy to be engaging." —PlayStation LifeStyle

#6: Crime Boss: Rockay City

5 / 10

43

Photo by 505 Games

One of 2023's most-publicized flops, new IP Rockay City wastes a well-known cast that includes Danny Trejo, Michael Madsen, Chuck Norris, Kim Basinger, Danny Glover, and Michael Rooker,  among others* on what amounts to an inferior take on the Payday formula. (*In this case, "others" includes Vanilla Ice.) The first-person heist-shooter has you assemble four of their characters into a criminal gang that must complete a series of missions in a fictitious city that's basically 1980s or '90s Miami (though some aspects of the game feel like they are set in the present day). But you'll find much better writing in any of the late-20th century action movies Rockay City is so clearly modeled after.

"For all its faults (and it certainly has many), nothing here is egregiously terrible – which means, ultimately, that Crime Boss' biggest sin isn't that it's a bad game, but rather a very boring one." —Gaming Age

#5: Testament: The Order of High-Human

6 / 10

41

Photo by Fairyship Games

Attempting to blend action-adventure gameplay with Metroidvania and RPG elements, the second release from indie studio Fairyship Games finds you in a fantastical realm plagued by an epidemic of madness. Filled with everything from parkour to swordfighting to puzzle-solving, Testament ultimately fails to make any of its disparate components work well, according to reviewers.

"Simply put, Testament: The Order of High Human is a bad game that isn't fun to play and doesn't really offer anything meaningful to its players, who are better left if they simply avoid it." —IGN Italia

#4: Quantum Error

7 / 10

40

Photo by TeamKill Media LLC

A sci-fi/horror/shooter hybrid set in outer space, Quantum Error puts you in the shoes of firefighter Jacob Thomas as he attempts to rescue survivors from a combination of zombies and terrorists (and, well, fires). The firefighting aspect actually injects a bit of welcome originality into what otherwise amounts to a bland and poorly executed release. 

"Quantum Error is a flawed, frustrating and unfun slog that collapses under the weight of its lofty ambitions to blend multiple genres and mechanics on a limited budget and developing skillset." —WellPlayed

#3: Greyhill Incident

8 / 10

38

Photo by Refugium Games

An alien invasion-themed stealth/survival horror game from new studio Refugium Games, Greyhill Incident was a failure on almost every level, with critics noting poor acting, bland settings, and rote gameplay.

"Ultimately, Greyhill Incident is a big disappointment. This had real potential to be a short, but cool horror game that leverages tension and aliens in a way we haven't really seen in gaming. What we got instead is a flavorless game that feels like a concept for something much better." —Comicbook.com

#2: Flashback 2

9 / 10

35

Photo by Microids

The 1992 Amiga game Flashback (later released for other platforms) was a much-loved, Prince of Persia-like sci-fi platformer that was followed by a 1995 sequel under a different title, Fade to Black. This fall brought another sequel (more accurately, a prequel) to the now 31-year-old original, this time bearing the Flashback name—but absolutely none of its charm. Incredibly buggy upon its release, Flashback 2 also suffers from underlying  problems that can't easily be fixed, including an overall dated and too-simplistic approach that results in tedious, unchallenging gameplay.

"The most pointless sequel since Duke Nukem Forever. Every single good idea is crushed by five bad ones." —GameStar

#1: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

10 / 10

34

Photo by Daedalic Entertainment/Nacon

Metacritic's Official Worst Game of 2023

Also the worst Lord of the Rings game adaptation in history, stealth platformer Gollum attempts to deliver an original story for its title character that is set between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. Critics note that extensive knowledge of Tolkien's books is a prerequisite for enjoying the game, but that's just the least of Gollum's problems. "Dull" and "tedious" are words that reviewers have used again and again to describe gameplay, while the controls leave something to be desired. But the biggest flaw is the game's visuals—or maybe it's the many game-breaking bugs. At any rate, it's a complete package: completely terrible. 

"What could have been Daedalic's chance to break into mainstream has ultimately backfired. A waste of a license, riddled with performance issues and just downright ugly gameplay, Gollum should be cast into any nearest fire, let alone a wasted trip to Mount Doom." —Finger Guns

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[wuubys]

for the art ask thing. every third question. except on 15 you actually do have to provide your ip address along with your street address

FUCKKKK not my ip address along with my street address :[

3. What ideas come from when you were little

honestly probably most of them. not necessarily 'little' but my two main stories and ocs in them that i float around in my head every so often came from when i was in middle school

6. Anything that might inspire you subconsciously

NOT REALLY I THINK...? i think for subconscious stuff its more like music that i then cant help but think of my ocs with. anything design wise is either on purpose from a clear inspiration or just not thought of at all until someone else tells me hehe

9. What are your file name conventions

i havent named a single procreate file on my ipad in weeks i am not fucking joking. but when i save them on my computer to post theyre usually something like '[x] doodle' or '[x] yay' and then i just have to add a number at the end if this is the 50th time ive drawn [x]

12. Easiest part of body to draw

PROBABLY HAIR? its so fun to me honestly cause you can do a lot with it. hands also arent that bad really though im not gonna say theyre easy but theyre fun when you know what youre doing

15. *Where* do you draw

anywhere. everywhere. all at once. typically in my room though at my desk [smiles]

18. An estimate of how much art supplies you've broken

honestly not much since i just draw digitally but i do think that moving stuff back home earlier this year Did break my drawing tablet which kills the bee

21. Art styles nothing like your own but you like anyways

once again EVERYTHING... i love simplistic art styles. i love detailed art styles. realistic ones. cartoony ones. theyre all fucking good baby

24. Do your references include stock images

most of my references tend to be fashion ones but i really tend to use stock images for hands and such

27. Do you warm up before getting to the good stuff? If so, what is it you draw to warm up with

SOMETIMES i should really do that more. ill either just draw a bunch of random wiggly curly lines or just do some more simple little doodles.

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated

all of them. but really id just point to these ones below. i kinda wanna redraw that summer doodle though cause its in my old art style

[sport333]

Wants to Leave Mbappe Ip Receives 57.4 Billion From PSG

Wants to Leave Mbappe Ip Receives 57.4 Billion From PSG

It is unlikely that the word "I want to leave" will come out of Kylian Mbappe's mouth.

It is the number one candidate for the next Ballon d'Or. Along with Elling Holland, he is considered a resource to lead future football and has actually set a huge record. He distinguished himself in Monaco, made his presence known to people around the world, and was in full bloom at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). From the 2017-18 season to the 2022-23 season, he set a remarkable record of 212 goals and 98 assists in 260 games, and when he moved to PSG, the transfer fee reached 180 million euros (about 258.6 billion won).

Became PSG's ace and living legend. Although PSG is full of world class players such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, Sergio Ramos, and Marcinos, Mbappe showed an unrivaled presence. In the 2022-23 season, he played in 43 games, including the Cup, scoring 41 goals and 10 assists, and was the overwhelming top scorer in the league

But the relationship with PSG wasn't always good. As many big clubs as his overwhelming skills targeted him, and Real Madrid was the most active. In fact, the transfer to Real last summer was very imminent, and Mbappe was also interested in the transfer.

Fortunately, he chose to stay, but the possibility of going to Real is not completely over. Then this summer, rumors of a transfer came to mind once again. Fabricio Romano, an expert on the European football transfer market, said on his social media in June, "Mbappe expressed his intention not to invoke the option of extending the contract to 2025. This means Mbappe's contract expires in June 2024. PSG says it will not send Mbappe without a transfer fee. Mbappe could be sold unless it signs a new contract," it said

Since then, many have expected Mbappe to move to Real. It's been a natural reaction, as it's been linked to Real for a long time. In response, Mbappe had time to explain himself. He said on his social media, "It's a lie…"As I said before, I'm happy at PSG and I'll be with PSG next season as well." However, it did not mean that he would extend his companionship with PSG. Mbappe only denied the possibility of a transfer to Real, but admitted that he would not invoke the option of a one-year extension.

This angered PSG. Leaders, including Nasser al-Kelaifi, have pressed Mbappe to leave this summer unless he extends his contract. The chairman even issued a statement himself. He said: "I was devastated to learn that Mbappe had decided to leave for free. It was very disappointing because I thought Mbappe was a fantastic player, a gentleman. Leaving France's biggest club without leaving a transfer fee is not Mbappe-like behavior. "I was shocked and really disappointed after hearing that Mbappe had decided to leave the team without a transfer fee," he said

Relations between the two parties have deteriorated further. He even made remarks that stimulated PSG's pride. Mbappe, who was selected as the best French player for the 2022-23 season awarded by French media "L'Equipe" and French football, mentioned PSG in a later interview. He said: "I think playing for PSG doesn't really help. "They are a team that causes division," he said, making some controversial remarks.

a snip at the club. Naturally, other players in the club could not have felt good. Several PSG players who heard this comment were unhappy. Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports in the U.S. said on his social media, "Some PSG players were angry when they saw Mbappe's interview and expressed dissatisfaction with Chairman Al Kelai P. Asked about the performance, Mbappe called PSG a "team with division."

They even gave Mbappe an ultimatum. "PSG sent Mbappe a three-page letter asking him to decide on his future by July 31," the British media The Athletic said.

"As Requiff first reported, PSG's letter said that Mbappe's public departure from the team had taken a big hit, that these issues should remain private, and that it was wrong to make these remarks during the summer transfer market. The letter was concluded with a request to decide whether or not to renew the contract by the 31st, he added

Despite pressure from the club, Mbappe did not budge. In response, some questioned Mbappe's insistence on remaining in PSG for another year. There was a reason. According to Andres-on-Lubia Ramos, a reporter for the Spanish media Diario As, Mbappe will receive 80 million euros (about 114.9 billion won) in royalties if he remains on the team for another year. This was inserted into the clause when the contract was renewed last year and is said to be a "duty clause" as it was included in the contract.

As a result, PSG made an unconventional choice. He seemed to think that if money was the purpose, he would achieve that purpose. Spanish media 'Defensa Central' said, "PSG Chairman Al Kelai P is preparing an unconventional proposal equivalent to 1 billion euros (about 1.4367 trillion won) for Mbappe over 10 years. "The Kingdom of Qatar responded positively to this."

But Mbappe turned it down at once. He still wanted a transfer. The top goal is to transfer to Real, and the possibility of transfer is higher in the local area. Carlos Carpio, a reporter for the Spanish media "Marca," said, "Real delivered to PSG the upper limit of the transfer fee that they could pay in connection with the recruitment of Mbappe. Now it's all down to PSG. It's time for gold to speak. "Yes, Mbappe is very close to joining Real," he said, showing confidence in the possibility of a transfer.

While pushing for the sale, PSG feared that its power would weaken when Mbappe was out. As a result, he continued to try to renew his contract with a single possibility. Looking at the conditions, I could see that PSG was extremely considerate. According to CBS Sports' Ben Jacobs, PSG has offered Mbappe a renewal contract, including an option to allow him to leave the team for a "constant amount" next summer. It was PSG's last offer to recover the transfer fee somehow. But Mbappe refused at once. "Mbappe has refused to talk to PSG regarding the contract extension," Jacobs said

At this point, 'transfer' is unstoppable. What should be noted now is the 'form' of the transfer. Attention is focusing on whether PSG will leave the team this summer as desired or Mbappe will leave the team as FA next summer as desired.

Several teams except Real approached. Saudi Arabia, which recently attracted numerous European players, offered Mbappe an astronomical amount and raised the possibility of a loan to Chelsea. However, neither option was feasible. Saudi Arabia rejected Mbappe and Chelsea's 'one-year lease' emerged as a realistic alternative, but no specific details were coordinated

As of now, Mbappe is not in a hurry at all. This is because you can transfer freely in a year. You don't have to play. Because I've already received a huge amount of money from PSG. Mbappe recently received a royalty bonus of 60 million euros (about 84 billion won) from PSG. Cabe Solhekol, a reporter for "Sky Sports," said that if Mbappe is a member of PSG by August 1, local time, he will receive 60 million euros in royalty bonuses. Thus, Mbappe succeeded in remaining in PSG until the 1st, and received a huge amount of money 파워볼사이트

It's not finished yet. If it remains until the 31st, Mbappe will receive an additional 40 million euros (about 57.4 billion won) in bonuses. Reporter Ramos said on his SNS on the 7th (Korea Standard Time), "If Mbappe officially says he wants to leave PSG, he will give up a 40 million euro bonus." If he only lasts until the 31st, he can get a bonus. That's why it's less likely to see him say he wants to leave."

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, May 29

Buffy: Hey, speaking of 'wow' potential, there's Oz over there. What are we thinking, any sparkage? Willow: He's nice. Hey, I like his hands. Buffy: Mmm, a fixation on insignificant details is a definite crush sign. Willow: Oh, I don't know, though. I mean, he is a senior. Buffy: You think he's too old 'cause he's a senior? Please. My boyfriend had a bicentennial.

~~Surprise~~

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for at least one new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more here.

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Things To Drive You Crazy (Buffy/Giles, E) by Skyson

[Chaptered Fiction]

No Rest for the Wicked, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Faith, NR) by TargaryenPug

today doesn't count, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, M) by modestlobster

changes form captivity, Chapter 1 (Xander/Spike, T) by starsdontsleep

The Sunnydale Imp, Chapter 34 (OC, NR) by Bloodredtiger

Never, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Giles, G) by Nixiet

Bed, Blood, and Beyond, Chapter 11 (Bufy/Angel, M) by LadyLegolas

Chains of Obsession, Chapter 2 (Angelus/Spike, E) by NightCountess

Chasing the Light, Chapter 18 (Angel/Lindsey, E) by CloudSeeker

Used to Bite People, Now I'm Tracking IPs with Buffy Bloody Summers, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Fangellic

On the Run, Chapter 18 (Buffy/SPike, E) by zinjadu

so I'll be everywhere that you'll be, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, E) by forasecondtherewedwon

Solemates, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Maxine Eden and ClowniestLivEver

For Research Purposes, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by shekissedmedead and William Pratt

Dismissed, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by honeygirl51885

The Plan, Chapter 19 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by NotYourGrave

Strong Anthropic Principles, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, ) by

Multiplicity, Chapter 23 (Buffy/Spike, R) by simmony

Things I Can't Spell, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Cazzy

Revelations, Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Niamh

Transitory, Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by GhostsInLove

Float, Chapter 16 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Grief Counseling

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:Palaces: Aftertaste-Buffy/Faith More Strap-on fun [NSFW!] by Deviantelfguy

Dolls:Doll version of Buffytvs by denyache

Artwork:Spike by tartaguel

Artwork:Tara and Willow remake of Vampyr by Edvard Munch by planetkule

Artwork:them! by maccadot

Meme: Nice argument, unfotunately... by garscrucible

Gifset:5.12 "Checkpoint" by whatisyourchildhoodtrauma

Gifset:4.12 || 6.10 by detectivedawnsummers

Video: Buffy S3 at 25: Enemies (Shortened Version) by Slayerfest '98

Video: 1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1-800-Collect Sweepstakes by cosmicurgency

[Reviews & Recaps]

Buffy Rewatch: Season 2, Episodes 13-16 by sunnydalelibrarian

Buffy The Vampire Slayer 6x16 - "Hell's Bells" | First Time Watching by DodoReactions

Buffy The Vampire Slayer "LISTENING TO FEAR" S5E9 REACTION!! by JerBear Reacts

Buffy The Vampire Slayer S5 EP15 REACTION by CLC Reacts

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4 Episode 12 - A New Man by Sh*t 90s Shows Taught Me

Podcast: Buffy S7E18: Dirty Girls by Booze & Buffy

[Recs & In Search Of]

what necklace is he wearing? by coffeh_zombeh

[Fandom Discussions]

[Buffy and Faith in S3] by fictiongods

Top 10 BADDEST Boys in Buffy by garscrucible

I'm imagining an alternate take on Becoming where Jenny Calendar survived Passion by coraniaid

[How much does Buffy remember of the resurrection] by elverrie

Is Cordelia the most under-utilised main character ever? by multiple authors

Miss Kitty Fantastico by multiple authors

What do you think about the clothing/hair & makeup changes/evolution from early seasons Buffy to the latter seasons? by multiple authors

Glasses in pylea? by multiple authors

Don't pause, you will notice stunt double. by multiple authors

What’s your favorite era? by multiple authors

What are the defining heartbreaking moments of the Buffyverse for you? by multiple authors

"Lineage" by multiple authors

Is anya on the spectrum or is she just new to the whole ex demon lifestyle? by multiple authors

I'm just not understanding why the watchers counsel doesn't pay their slayers? by multiple authors

Let’s consider who you would want in the rest of the sequel series cast by multiple authors

Caption this by multiple authors

The trial by multiple authors

Does Faith talk like a teenage boy bc the writers had no clue how write for queer women? /hj by multiple authors

Buffy First-Time Watcher: Season 6 & 7 Review by multiple authors

The clause that Joss Whedon had throughout the entire series was that Willow, Xander, and Giles could not die. If the clause wasn’t there, whose death would be the most impactful? by multiple authors

The ONE storyline the revival/spinoff needs to BAN by multiple authors

The lighting in S5 really stepped it up by multiple authors

Bringing buffy back (S5 and 6 spoilers inside) by multiple authors

What could Fred's character arc have been if they didn't do the Love triangle. by multiple authors

I was so happy at the end of season three by multiple authors

Something I love about the Show is the Monster designs. They all look like they could be in their own Horror film from around that time. by multiple authors

What are your opinions on Wesley Wyndam-Pryce? by multiple authors

cant watch the last season by multiple authors

Hank Summers by multiple authors

Illyria deserved better — The perfect Buffyverse spin-off / Sequel we never got by multiple authors

We know Joyce runs an art gallery. But what kind? by multiple authors

Power transfer stories we never got by multiple authors

Which is your favorite opening episode of Buffy out of all the seasons 1-7, and which is your favorite season finale episode of all the seasons? by multiple authors

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Podcast: Warren Mears: A Post Mortem with Special Guest Adam Busch by The Rewatcher

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

[umichenginabroad]

Shanghai Week 5: Feudalism, Colonialism and Communism

Greetings people! After a week of work, I decided to see more sights in Shanghai and learn more about the role of Shanghai in the many eras of China. But before that, I thought I’d talk a bit about my internship. It’s not only a vacation after all.

As an intern at the Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (SNERDI), I was assigned to a mentor who would guide me through the program and give me assignments to work on. My mentor, Mr. Meng, heads the team that develops materials (especially metal alloys) used in casting the pressure vessel (PV) of SNERDI’s latest nuclear reactor. Naturally, my work is about the development and testing of such materials. Specifically, I was told to research on the properties of the steel used in casting the PV and the testing required to ensure the material is up to standards. I would meet with my mentor once a week and present my findings to him, and he would guide me along in my research.

During the weekend, I took a stroll through Yu Garden and the surrounding shopping district. The Yu Garden was built over 500 years ago in the Ming Dynasty, it served as the imperial garden for the emperor in Shanghai until the fall of the Qing Dynasty. It was my first time visiting a Chinese garden and it was charming in its own ways. Compared to the English and European gardens I’ve been to, the Chinese garden is more delicate architecturally. It also places a lot of emphasis on rocks and stones, making it more compact.

(My bad for the terrible lighting, but I didn’t have much time to take the picture with thousands of other tourists hot on my tail) 

After being shuffled through the garden along with thousands of other tourists, I went to the Bund to take a closer look at the colonial architecture built in the early twentieth century. The Bund, known in China as the Ten Li Foreign Boulevard, was part of the former International Settlement. It became the financial capital of the East in the 1930s thus many banks could be found along the waterfront.

(I would have thought I was in Europe if it weren’t for the many Chinese flags)

Finally, I walked to the end of the waterfront and found myself in front of a giant communist monument. The Chinese read Shanghai Monument to the People’s Heroes. I’ve always found communist architecture very intriguing. The imposing style seems to go against other forms of communist art which stresses on realism and connection with the common folks.

Cheers,

Tommy Wong

IPE SNERDI in Shanghai

NERS ‘20

[aquynh]

sat thru gmmtv’s entire showcase n im most likely only gonna watch 5 dramas out of the 21 that were shown dkbdjdbjd

- 55:15 never too late

- U.M.G unidentified mysterious girlfriend

- cupid’s last wish

- moonlight chicken

- dirty laundry

[crit20art]

OC lore drop

An overview of my OCs and the settings they belong to! The settings range from “fully-outlined/partially drafted novels that i genuinely intend to write one day” to “loose string of scenarios to put my guys in.” 

Casey and Vincent

(she/her, he/him)

Premise: Casey lives in the middle of nowhere Texas with an elderly woman (Margie) for whom she’s a live-in caretaker. Vincent shows up on her doorstep with a shovel in hand, asking if he can dig up something of his that’s buried on Margie’s land. Casey tells him no, and don’t come back. A few days later, while visiting a neighbor, Casey is attacked by monsters. They tear the neighbor to shreds and almost get Casey, but Vincent comes out of nowhere and distracts them while she runs for home. When she gets there, she realizes that the monsters can’t seem to cross the property line. Vincent gets badly injured, but Casey drags him to safety. 

They are then stuck indefinitely on this square acre of land, unable to leave lest they get torn to shreds by the many-toothed creatures prowling the invisible barrier. Casey nurses Vincent back to health and in doing so realizes that he is definitely something Other Than Human. She also learns that he’s really weird, but really sweet, but mostly really weird. He starts to dig up the land but still won’t tell her what he’s looking for. 

genre is romance and soft horror, very similar vibes to my tma fic "resigned" if you’ve read that. Vincent and Casey’s dynamic is p much "it's not body horror, not to me, not if it's you."

Max and Braiden

(both he/him)

These two are from a story that was basically my highschool big brain take on "what if superpowers happened in the real world but people who had them got EXPERIMENTED ON??" That’s still the setting but the plot has taken a sharp turn into classic American road trip. Max has the power to generate, manipulate, and breathe various gasses, and Braiden can make copies of himself. 

The basic premise is that, while escaping the facility where he’s been trapped for a number of years, Braiden meets Max for the first time. Max already knows him, however, and is in fact madly in love with him. It turns out that Max was in a relationship with one of Braiden’s copies who was recently killed, and meeting the Original(™) Braiden is the first time he finds out that there’s more than one of him. Cue lots of questions about nature/nurture, what makes a person inherently themself, and Star Trek style philosophical ponderings on the personhood of clones. All of this happens in a ragtop convertible against a backdrop of late summer highway.

(if braiden reminds you of my martin design, no he doesn’t <3 (actually he does because he is a character i put a lot of my own struggles with depression into, and his personality is adjacent to martin’s s5 I’m A Huge Bitch Because I Have Boundaries Now vibe, so martin ended up reminding me of him and i committed IP theft on myself about it))

Fantasy / DnD OCs

I’m bad at fantasy worldbuilding so i just kinda toss all of these guys into scenarios in my head and mix them like salad. I’m trying to put together something with a cowboy/western kind of energy but i haven’t gotten far <3

I have a group of OCs from a scrapped fantasy setting who I’ll add to this when I have more recent sketches for all of them. (If you’re wondering where the lesbians are. They are here. I’m sorry I don’t have more drawings of you on hand, lesbians)

More dnd OCs can be found just in my dnd tag but here are the honorable mentions:

August

(he/him)

Half-elf bard. He has been the icon on my personal blog for years and, in retrospect, playing him was absolutely my first step towards questioning my gender. He has 18 intelligence and 10 wisdom. He once hooked up with an NPC and scored a 24 on his performance check. He even has a meme. Party on, king

Aurelian

(he/him)

(2nd image is before i gave him horns. ft. fiancé Pesh, they/them)

Aurelian is a pirate. He’s an outlaw. He’s a horse girl. He’s been looking for his mysteriously vanished fiancé long enough that he has trouble picturing their face. He exists because I heard Chasing Twisters by Delta Rae and had to make a dnd character about it.

Vasha

(she/her)

Angsty wild magic sorcerer who started as a hostile NPC when i DMed for some friends. Took on a life of her own and ended up in lesbians with the party’s orc fighter. Since that campaign ended I am trying to find her a gf like Mrs. Bennet matchmaking for her five daughters

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Leaked NYPD "goon squad" manual

In New York City, the summer 2020 #BLM uprising became a grotesque spectacle, as legions of ultraviolent cops committed mass-scale, criminal human rights violations, spawning a new subgenre of viral video: the NYPD BLM violence video.

During and after this period, public attention focused on the systemic nature of the NYPD's lawlessness, like the fact that the cops' disciplinary records were held secret, obscuring the repeat offenders.

Indeed, Propublica's brave publication of these records demonstrated that the force is riddled with violent, habitual sadists.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/27/ip/#nypd-who

Propublica did incredible work, showing that cops who commits a strings of violent human rights abuses and cost the taxpayer vast fortunes in legal settlements aren't disqualified from promotions - these monsters constitute the NYPD's top brass.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/10/booksellers-vs-big-tech/#50a

Propublica also delved deep into the NYPD's sham of a disciplinary process, for example, documenting the continued use of illegal choke-holds by officers, primarily against Black men, and how police officials did nothing to enforce their own policies.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/21/i-cant-breathe/#chokeholds

All of this leads up to impunity. As Propublica went on to report, out of the hundreds the NYPD officers caught on video committing crimes against protesters, only *two* were brought up for discipline, despite video evidence and eyewitness reports.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/03/18/news-worthy/#nypd-black-and-blue

The cherry on the cake: last month, Propublica revealed the existence of a secretive, tax-funded slushfund that pays out millions to hire white-shoe lawyers to defend the cops who are so dirty the city refuses to defend them:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/03/26/overfitness-factor/#heads-you-lose-tails-they-win

Latent in all of this discussion is the assumption - on the part of NYPD critics *and* apologists - that the cops who commit these crimes are breaking their own rules. But as it turns out, that's not true.

Today, The Intercept published the leaked, secret, destroy-after-reading procedural manuals for the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, an ultra-secretive good squad formed by former chief Bill Bratton in 2015.

https://theintercept.com/2021/04/07/nypd-strategic-response-unit-george-floyd-protests/

We don't know how big the SRG is - it's a secret - but we know that its inaugural budget was $13m in 2015 and today, it's nearly $90m. As Alice Speri and John Bolger write, the crimes we witnessed last summer are literally straight out of the SRG's playbook.

That thing where bike cops kettle a group of protesters, hoist their bikes up to their chest, forming a moving fence, and then beat the shit out of  protesters as they advance? That's not the result of undertraining - it's a maneuver they regularly drill.

When the BLM uprising began, the NYPD's chief and commissioner both pledged that the SRG - theoretically designed to maintain order during mass riots, not political protests - wouldn't be involved.

They lied.

"Investigators found a disproportionate number of SRG officers accused of wrongdoing to have exceeded their legal authority, when compared with the wider department."

Despite its $90m budget and estimated 700 cops, it's not clear why SRG exists at all. The NY AG's office said SRG shouldn't be used on protesters because they're supposed to fight terrorism, but the NYPD already has an expensive, heavily resourced Counterterrorism Bureau.

One thing we do know about the SRG: they have a huge intelligence wing. Before deployments, SRG officers are briefed on "group size, planned arrests, key members of the protest group, and the group’s hierarchy," and other intel. They go in with a plan.

That's the point: the violence isn't the result of rogue cops ignoring their training. It's the result of cops doing *exactly* what they're trained to do.

If you doubt it, read the manuals.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20584527-strategic_response_group_guide

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20584526-srg_field_force_modules

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20584525-srg_bike_squad_modules

Learn about the Bike Line Arrest Manuever, or BLAM, in which officers "shout 'BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!' as they advance," and "[take] control of subjects head by clinching your hands and arms behind the head of subject and bringing head against your chest."

This is exactly what Human Rights Watch documented in their report on a Jun 4, 2020 "planned assault" in the Bronx. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea called the chaotic violence of that assault as "a plan which was executed nearly flawlessly." He wasn't lying.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/30/us-new-york-police-planned-assault-bronx-protesters

The authors warn that any reform that results in disbanding the SRG won't be enough: the NYPD has a long history of dissolving its most criminal units and then reforming them with a new name, new insignia and even bigger budgets.

They give the final word to Joo-Hyun Kang of Communities United for Police Reform, who says that the real problem isn't the SRG, it's "the hyper-militarization, the hyper-aggressive policing tactics. That’s not an SRG problem only, that’s an NYPD problem"