#You need to understand this program has ONE layer

[mightybomber]

Playing with my wii lol

[mostlysignssomeportents]

China hacked Verizon, AT&T and Lumen using the FBI’s backdoor

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

State-affiliated Chinese hackers penetrated AT&T, Verizon, Lumen and others; they entered their networks and spent months intercepting US traffic – from individuals, firms, government officials, etc – and they did it all without having to exploit any code vulnerabilities. Instead, they used the back door that the FBI requires every carrier to furnish:

https://www.wsj.com/tech/cybersecurity/u-s-wiretap-systems-targeted-in-china-linked-hack-327fc63b?st=C5ywbp&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

In 1994, Bill Clinton signed CALEA into law. The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act requires every US telecommunications network to be designed around facilitating access to law-enforcement wiretaps. Prior to CALEA, telecoms operators were often at pains to design their networks to resist infiltration and interception. Even if a telco didn't go that far, they were at the very least indifferent to the needs of law enforcement, and attuned instead to building efficient, robust networks.

Predictably, CALEA met stiff opposition from powerful telecoms companies as it worked its way through Congress, but the Clinton administration bought them off with hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies to acquire wiretap-facilitation technologies. Immediately, a new industry sprang into being; companies that promised to help the carriers hack themselves, punching back doors into their networks. The pioneers of this dirty business were overwhelmingly founded by ex-Israeli signals intelligence personnel, though they often poached senior American military and intelligence officials to serve as the face of their operations and liase with their former colleagues in law enforcement and intelligence.

Telcos weren't the only opponents of CALEA, of course. Security experts – those who weren't hoping to cash in on government pork, anyways – warned that there was no way to make a back door that was only useful to the "good guys" but would keep the "bad guys" out.

These experts were – then as now – dismissed as neurotic worriers who simultaneously failed to understand the need to facilitate mass surveillance in order to keep the nation safe, and who lacked appropriate faith in American ingenuity. If we can put a man on the moon, surely we can build a security system that selectively fails when a cop needs it to, but stands up to every crook, bully, corporate snoop and foreign government. In other words: "We have faith in you! NERD HARDER!"

NERD HARDER! has been the answer ever since CALEA – and related Clinton-era initiatives, like the failed Clipper Chip program, which would have put a spy chip in every computer, and, eventually, every phone and gadget:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_chip

America may have invented NERD HARDER! but plenty of other countries have taken up the cause. The all-time champion is former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who, when informed that the laws of mathematics dictate that it is impossible to make an encryption scheme that only protects good secrets and not bad ones, replied, "The laws of mathematics are very commendable, but the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia":

https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-laws-of-australia-will-trump-the-laws-of-mathematics-turnbull/

CALEA forced a redesign of the foundational, physical layer of the internet. Thankfully, encryption at the protocol layer – in the programs we use – partially counters this deliberately introduced brittleness in the security of all our communications. CALEA can be used to intercept your communications, but mostly what an attacker gets is "metadata" ("so-and-so sent a message of X bytes to such and such") because the data is scrambled and they can't unscramble it, because cryptography actually works, unlike back doors. Of course, that's why governments in the EU, the US, the UK and all over the world are still trying to ban working encryption, insisting that the back doors they'll install will only let the good guys in:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/05/theyre-still-trying-to-ban-cryptography/

Any back door can be exploited by your adversaries. The Chinese sponsored hacking group know as Salt Typhoon intercepted the communications of hundreds of millions of American residents, businesses, and institutions. From that position, they could do NSA-style metadata-analysis, malware injection, and interception of unencrypted traffic. And they didn't have to hack anything, because the US government insists that all networking gear ship pre-hacked so that cops can get into it.

This isn't even the first time that CALEA back doors have been exploited by a hostile foreign power as a matter of geopolitical skullduggery. In 2004-2005, Greece's telecommunications were under mass surveillance by US spy agencies who wiretapped Greek officials, all the way up to the Prime Minister, in order to mess with the Greek Olympic bid:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_wiretapping_case_2004%E2%80%9305

This is a wild story in so many ways. For one thing, CALEA isn't law in Greece! You can totally sell working, secure networking gear in Greece, and in many other countries around the world where they have not passed a stupid CALEA-style law. However the US telecoms market is so fucking huge that all the manufacturers build CALEA back doors into their gear, no matter where it's destined for. So the US has effectively exported this deliberate insecurity to the whole planet – and used it to screw around with Olympic bids, the most penny-ante bullshit imaginable.

Now Chinese-sponsored hackers with cool names like "Salt Typhoon" are traipsing around inside US telecoms infrastructure, using the back doors the FBI insisted would be safe.

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/07/foreseeable-outcomes/#calea

Image: Kris Duda, modified https://www.flickr.com/photos/ahorcado/5433669707/

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

[phantomrose96]

At this point, after this has happened a dozen times, why the hell is anyone pushing any update that wide that fast. They didn't try 10 nearby computers first? Didn't do zone by zone? Someone needs to be turbo fired for this and a law needs to get written.

The "this has happened a dozen times" really isn't correct. This one is unprecedented.

But yes the "how the hell could it go THAT bad?" is the thing everyone with even a little software experience is spinning over. Because it is very easy to write code with a bug. But that's why you test aggressively, and you roll out cautiously - with MORE aggressive testing and MORE cautious rollout the more widely-impacting your rollout would be.

And this is from my perspective in product software, where my most catastrophic failure could break a product, not global systems.

Anti-malware products like Crowdstrike are highly-privileged, as in they have elevated trust and access to parts of the system that most programs wouldn't usually have - which is something that makes extremely thorough smoke-testing of the product way MORE important than anything I've ever touched. It has kernel access. This kind of thing needs testing out the wazoo.

I can mostly understand the errors that crop up where like, an extremely old machine on an extremely esoteric operating system gets bricked because the test radius didn't include that kind of configuration. But all of Windows?

All of Windows, with a mass rollout to all production users, including governments?

There had to be layers upon layers of failures here. Especially given how huge Crowdstrike is. And I really want to know what their post-mortem analysis ends up being because for right now I cannot fathom how you end up with an oversight this large.

[soonysy]

Hi! I absolutely love your art style it's so colorful! You do such an excellent job on all your drawings. I don't know if this has been asked before, but what program(s) do you use to draw? What brushes do you use? What are the steps you do to make a drawing? Do you have any speedpaints?

Thanks!

Hello hii!!

So, I've alrady done this before (in this post), but since then A LOT chaged — so here we are again! I wan't sure which style you were asking about, so I made a timelapse of my latest drawing and will explaing the process based on it (and hope that all of this makes sence lol)

So, firstly, I use Clip Studio Paint and mostly some basic brushed from there:

I start with really rough sketch, then do line art (both with pencil brush). The next step varies from piece to piece, but usually, I start with background colour and then fill in all the parts of the characters (skin, hair, etc.) on seperate layers (base colouring with marker brush and texture and details with gouache one).

For my sketchy drawings or the ones without backgronds, I first fill in the whole figure, sometimes add "Overlay" layer with orange/yellow on top and blue on bottom part and then go to colouring.

After doing all the colours I just play with the whole picture?? Like adjusting saturation, hue and all that stuff — untill I am pleased with base colours. Then I add "Multiply" layer (two for arts w/ backgrond so that shadows look darker) and then continue picking random colours until I like it. It is difficult to explain, really, all of this is easier to see in the video :<

The main thing is that for finished pieces I add soft shadows and highlights on the colour layers (as clipped layers, of course, in case I mess something up), then background's main colours, then overall lighting for the whole picture, then shadows outside of the characters and then on them, like lower (the expamle is missing overall lighting, btw):

Base colour layer > some individual strands (cliped layer) > highlights with "Screen" clipped layer > shadow applied to the whole base colouring.

Aaand this is how it looks in the layer section, in case you need it (because I would need it lmao). I named all the layers to make it easier to understand.

I guess this is basically it?? I hope it helps you, 'cause I have no idea how to explain it all properly. Also keep in mind that I use lots and lots of layers (from 20 up to 100) and spend quite some time on each piece (for sketches 1,5 at min and up to 8 hours on finished ones (it is the longest time Clip Studio still shows me)).

Note that all of these steps can be made on different programms! I had been using Paint Tool Sai 2 before Clip Studio, and did a lot of my arts there, so it is up to you to choose the best fitting programm for your requests!!

Good luck :D

[localcoffeeshop]

Analysis on HoldBreath & Breathing in Deltarune (chapters 3+4 spoilers ahead)

Holding your breath comes up in both chapter 3 and 4, as well as the spamton sweepstakes... So does the more general notion of breathing. We even SEE kris, despite being a pixel sprite, breathing on at least two occasions, and we're told once more by susie that they're breathing heavily if you think about Noelle during a weird route in chapter 4. so Kris has a lot of relevancy to the idea of holding your breath, but so does Noelle, who holds her breath to brave intense emotions when discovering video game secrets.

I think holding your breath might relate to the idea of going darker than dark, as the only time anyone really HAS to hold their breath is when they're underwater... which we've seen that ocean imagery relates to Dark Worlds and the game as a whole multiple times by now

Darker than Dark

to that extent, i think we can speculate on the act of going darker than dark in the context of the game experience. i think of the device theory ruling that we can go even deeper into layers of "fiction"... then we've got IMAGE_FRIEND who seems to exist in the darker than dark and we largely only encounter it in gameplay when we catch it in out of bounds areas or find it in "video game secret" areas you need to unlock and play very specifically and intentionally. that is to say, the "darker than dark" where you can "start to see things" that ralsei cautions about seems to be at least ASSOCIATED with hidden off-the-beaten-path fights and secrets in video games... like the eggs from the forgotten man.

its also unclear if Kris "remembers" our encounters with the Forgotten Man behind the tree after they happen. of course we the player remember these experiences outside the game. but there's a possibility Kris is forgetting as the forgotten man seems to say they do. I'd also go as far to say that there's a chance Kris AND Noelle have BOTH encountered the Forgotten Man, and that he's also behind Noelle's strange unreplicable ability to encounter video game secrets? especially because one of those secrets literally has to do with eggs?

Kris' Struggle for Autonomy and Control

finally, i also think the use of holding your breath as an act also relates to the themes of control and autonomy for Kris.

breathing is a form of expression for Kris. they display fear visibly to the player when they're breathing heavily, and this is how we come to understand how Kris feels about what we're making them do and what they're seeing. we can command Kris in a lot of ways, but we don't command them to breathe... they just do it. they breathe autonomously and automatically, as any living, breathing thing would... it becomes a shorthand for their limited autonomy - something the player shouldn't and doesn't have a say over (as part of our Video Game Experience... it would suck if we had to command Kris to breathe - and we know to some extent Gaster/the narrative is treating this as a game program we are engaging with).

they take "deep breaths" when thinking about susie, both before praying for her and playing the organ.

Susie is the ultimate embodiment of autonomy in deltarune. she does not want to relinquish control to anyone but herself - especially in the early chapters she overrides the player's decisions and speaks for herself. Kris taking a deep breath when thinking of Susie twice in the same chapter is a specific image... to take a deep breath is the opposite of holding your breath. the act of taking in air becomes a way of expressing their autonomy in susie's wake. ESPECIALLY during the organ playing scene.

Ultimately, when we command Kris to hold their breath, we also take the most guaranteed living action away from them. we command them to not do something, to not breathe. I think there's something to be said about taking breath away from Kris in terms of their struggle against us, even when we don't do the weird route, or we act as benevolently as possible towards them, we also know they're terrified of being a puppet on our string and they want control. imagine a higher being telling you to hold your breath. imagine the feeling of knowing something or someone could force you to hold your breath for as long as they want... until they use you up.

To breathe deeply on your own vs. to hold your breath and go darker than dark..... i think the full picture will come into view when we know more of where kris' head is at and what their goal is.

[yuzurujenn]

[2025.02] Echoes of Life 'THE BOOK' - Yuzuru Hanyu interview

[Writing the Original Story]

— Echoes began with the story being written first, correct?

This time, right from the start, I had a very, very strong desire to create a story that is not Hanyu, but about a new character named Nova. I wanted to build ICE STORY around that. And since I was going to do it, I wanted to go all in and see it through completely. So I thought through the setting in great detail, like what kind of sounds should surround someone like Nova? These were things I had to consider when choosing music. Of course, there are a lot of elements in the setting that aren’t actually shown in the final work, but having all of that detail helped me get closer to Nova emotionally while creating the story. It allowed me to think deeply: What kind of child is Nova? What is the guide (the narrator) thinking? What did Itsuna (VGH-127) leave behind…?

— In your mind, what kind of child is Nova?

That child... When I was writing the story, I intentionally designed his personality so that it could appear different depending on who’s watching and from what perspective. To me, he’s very lonely. Even though he hates fighting, he’s unexpectedly good at it. He always says he really doesn’t want to fight, and yet he fights so coolly. I think that’s because he understands the mission and meaning behind his existence, and has the strength to accept it. It might sound strange coming from me—the person playing him—but in Goliath, when he has to fight his own shadow, his emotions shift every time. Sometimes during the fight he’s thinking, “I have to destroy every shadow or the world will end,” but other times, even though he’s filled with negative feelings like “I really don’t want to do this,” his body is so used to fighting that he ends up doing it anyway, almost out of resignation.

In the storybook, there isn’t much description of Nova’s personality. It’s only in the visual representation that you see subtle things, like a change in his expression when he touches a flower. But in the written story itself, there’s no description of those expressions. I intentionally wrote it that way so that the viewer’s own emotions could be reflected onto Nova.

[My Philosophy of Figure Skating = The Piano]

— The Piano Collection in the first act was absolutely spectacular!

This time, when I thought, “If I’m going to make philosophy the theme, then what is my philosophy of figure skating?” What came to mind, as expected, was the piano. I felt that expressing classical piano to its fullest is the foundation of my figure skating. From the beginning, I had been thinking about creating an approximately 8-minute-long continuous piano-only performance.

At one point, I even considered that since I’d be consistently highlighting the piano, maybe I didn’t need to include “Ballade no. 1” after all. But as I began developing the story, laying out each thematic element one by one, I realized: “This part absolutely has to be 'Ballade no. 1’.” Moreover, it had to be the version that was skated at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, with the second half progressing layer by layer with intensity. Anything less just wouldn’t be acceptable to me. At first, I thought this program might be a little easier. After all, in “Dark Messenger” from RE_PRAY, I landed three quads, almost like a free skate, including two in the second half. But this time, the cancellation of the six-minute warm-up and the fact that the Piano Collection didn’t serve as a warm-up the way I had hoped for had a major impact on me. The Piano Collection was originally designed to serve the role of the six-minute warm-up. But in the end, it turned into a segment that had to be prepared in darkness and skated under intense pressure, where absolutely no mistakes or missed notes were allowed, all while gradually draining my physical energy.

— Why did the Piano Collection turn into such a physically and mentally demanding segment?

If I’m going to perform in sync with the music, then something half-baked, like just going through the motions, obviously wouldn’t cut it. And since this part is labeled as “Philosophy,” I absolutely couldn’t go easy on it. Plus, with the incredible music that Kiyozuka created for me, if I wanted my performance to resonate with his piano, I had no choice but to give it everything I had. Looking back on it now, that’s how I feel.

— In your conversation with Kiyozuka, the discussion about the order of the fourth and fifth pieces in the Piano Collection was really interesting.

The fourth piece is Chopin’s Étude Op. 25, No. 12 in C minor, often called “Ocean.” It’s in C minor and is the final piece in the set of 12 études—so it gives a sense of closure. C minor, in particular, carries a feeling of “the end.” But in the Piano Collection, there’s a fifth piece that comes after it. That fifth piece is Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in C-sharp minor, known as “Torrent.” Being in C-sharp minor, it feels more like “a beginning from here.” So Kiyozuka and I debated this for quite a while. In the end, I decided it would be cooler to use the fourth piece (Op. 25-12 in C minor) for the spin section and the fifth piece (Op. 10-4 in C-sharp minor) for the step sequence. That arrangement just had more impact. Plus, Ballade No. 1 would follow after that anyway. So we ultimately settled on the order: 25-12, then 10-4.

— Indeed, the C minor piece has a sense of ending. 

Yes, exactly! That “DUN—” at the end of the fourth piece makes you feel like, “Ah… it’s like a god really just ascended.” Even if you don’t understand music at all, somehow you still get caught up in that emotional pull. I find it really fascinating that music can give people such similar impressions from certain frequencies. Long before humans had language or writing, music was used in rituals, wasn’t it? So maybe from ancient times, even for animals, certain frequencies carried deep meaning.

At that moment, I thought, “Wait, isn’t this exactly what philosophy is?” Just like how there’s philosophy expressed through language, or how people’s emotional responses to watching a spin can become their own kind of philosophy, there’s also a kind of philosophy that comes from how we feel when we hear C minor. These different philosophies came together and intertwined to form the Piano Collection. That’s the mindset I had while creating it.

[Poetry and Improvisation]

— I heard you wrote quite a lot of poems?

Yes, I really did write a lot. I actually created two versions—one was "Awake (Stepping onto a New Path)," which was used in Part 1, and the other was "When Fate Whispers Softly," which was used in Part 2. The “Awake” version was written alphabetically, from A to Z. I originally intended to use both versions in the 'Poem' program, but in the end, the version used in the second half was "When Fate Whispers Softly."

I wrote 30 stanzas of that one in a single go. I remember I based them on four themes: “past,” “future,” “present,” and “myself,” and wrote many lines for each theme. Then MIKIKO-sensei and her team selected and arranged the stanzas for the final performance. As for the “Awake” version that wasn’t used, there were still gaps between the pieces in the Piano Collection that needed to be filled, so I suggested trying out the unused lines there.

— The 'Poem' performance was so dreamy and beautiful... Was all of that improvised?

The sections like “In this moment, time stops” and “This moment is a fleeting light” were choreographed to sync with ELEVENPLAY’s movements. Everything else was improvised. The synchronized parts were choreographed by MIKIKO-sensei.

What’s interesting is how different people interpret language and how words evoke different feelings and inspire different movements in each of us. I think that really reflects the multifaceted, diverse nature of human beings. The four dancers in this performance all have completely different backgrounds and specialties in dance, so that’s probably why such distinct movements emerged from each of them.

— Can improvisation be done so quickly?

At first, I found it really difficult. Without training to connect movement with language, it’s hard to do, and you easily fall into repeating the same motions. But I pushed myself to squeeze something out, no matter what! When I was practicing 'Poem' off-ice, I realized something. My movements tend to rely heavily on my legs.

We would form a circle, me and the four ELEVENPLAY dancers. One person would step into the center and perform, while the others watched and then responded, expanding on it through their own movement. We took turns, passing inspiration around like a chain of creativity. The other dancers could stay in place or express themselves just with their upper bodies, but I noticed I was always using my legs more than anything else.

For example, in Mass Destruction during the “ooh yeah da-dada-dada, dada-dada” or “baby baby” sections, I always match the rhythm with my legs, right? Even when I’m just practicing on the floor, I naturally throw in counters or rockers and end up doing a little cluster movement (laughs). That’s definitely because I’m a figure skater! It’s part of who I am, and I think that’s one of my distinctive traits. It’s something I’ve developed through years of training and expressing myself on the ice, and it naturally comes out even when I dance.

— And that’s what makes it so interesting, right?

Exactly! So I don’t want to lose that uniqueness. But if I only rely on what I already know, my upper body movements end up looking half-hearted. To break out of that, I try to let go of myself and step into someone else’s shoes. I watch different kinds of performances and think about what angles or qualities I like, then quietly absorb them. But I can’t just copy them directly. I have to internalize the essence, and from there, I let my body and heart do the rest. It’s a continuous process of trial and error.

That’s how the 'Poem' performance came to be. Even I watch some of those movements now and think, “Why did I do that move back then?” Every single time, the movements are different and can’t be replicated.

[What Is “Choreography,” What Is “Improvisation”]

— Hanyu-san, as the overall director of your productions, you have to think about the meaning behind the placement of each program, manage the entire flow of the show, and at the same time, each piece carries deep personal emotions for you. When you're actually performing, what kinds of thoughts are running through your mind?

Honestly… I'm just giving it everything I’ve got. That’s all. But what I find really interesting about figure skating is that it has music, choreographed movements, and such rich performance design. So no matter what emotions I’m feeling while skating, I can always convey some level of feeling through those elements. That's why sometimes I rely on that. Especially with Ballade no. 1, I’m sure everyone holds different memories of it in their hearts, so I just trust in those memories and focus on skating it cleanly and beautifully.

— Especially for Ballade no. 1?

Yes, when I’m performing Ballade no. 1 or the Piano Collection, there’s really no room to think about anything else. Take Tenchi, for example, the 'heaven and earth' is really a state of “nothingness,” a sense that all things are impermanent. I don’t think about anything when I skate it. SEIMEI is the same. I’m not fighting against anything when I perform it.

And yet, people always seem to see something in it, don’t they? I think that’s really fascinating. That’s what choreography is, and it shows just how powerful choreography can be. And beyond just the choreography, there’s also stage design, the emotions of the performer... it all comes together.

— What about the “choreography” in something like GATE OF STEINER?

There wasn’t any.

— That’s true, there really wasn’t any. When I was watching the finale performance, just seeing you skate so fast, just that alone moved me deeply. But at the same time, I had this vague sense that there weren’t really any choreographed movements. And if that program truly didn’t have any “choreography,” then it means that even something without choreography can still move people. That really made me start wondering… what is choreography, anyway?

But I still think choreography is necessary. I mean, I don’t think it’s okay for everything to be improvised. There are definitely moments that must be set, like, “This move needs to convey this meaning,” or “This moment has to be fixed.” Those are essential. In a way, it’s like the concept of kata (forms) in classical ballet, how a certain pose or movement carries a specific meaning. And this doesn’t just apply to classical ballet. It’s the same in Noh theater. In fact, across many forms of physical expression, “forms” exist. And only when you’ve mastered those forms can you break them. That’s where improvisation can begin.

In GATE OF STEINER, there was almost no choreography. But even so, there were still unspoken rules like, “At this point, this movement needs to happen.” As for the finale performance, from the start I had already decided: I was going to skate it all out, give everything I had, and just keep pushing forward with everything in me. GATE OF STEINER is a story of traveling through time and different world lines, and then finally, gently pushing open a door. It represents this message to everyone who has always been pushing me forward from behind: “This last time, let me be the one to push you forward.” And then I move into the next phase. That’s something I had in mind from the very beginning of the program’s design. But you know, that story (Steins;Gate) rarely ends in a happy ending. The character is constantly tossed around by fate. It’s a piece that, even though it ends with faith in the future that fate has laid out… what comes after that remains unknown. Maybe it didn’t end in happiness. Maybe it ended with giving up. But just for the finale performance, I wanted to run with everything I had, reach out as hard as I could, and express a burning will to go on, to keep moving forward. That’s not really something you can convey through choreography.

'Poem' is like that too. If we had set choreography for it, it would’ve ended up feeling more like a musical arrangement—structured, arranged, and too neat. The raw emotions wouldn’t be able to flow naturally anymore. Of course, it’s also possible to build emotion on top of choreography, but if we’d choreographed 'Poem', it would’ve come across as “just a dance routine.” And I think that’s the key difference between improvisation and choreography.

[Destiny and Will: A Flawless Finale and the Power of Preparedness]

—The final show was flawless, and the entire performance was absolutely stunning!

Ah well, that was really thanks to everyone… There were several jumps where, honestly, from the moment I took off to the instant I landed on one foot, I kind of zoned out. But somehow, I still landed them. It felt a bit like the last Lutz in the free skate at PyeongChang.

—Wait, you zoned out but still landed the jumps?!

Well, technically speaking, it’s because all the training I’ve done over the years has been deeply ingrained in both my body and my mind, so my body just executed the movements automatically. There’s no doubt about that. But how can I explain it... I really felt like everyone’s strength was flowing into me in that moment. The staff had seen how hard I was training in the venue, and everyone had this strong, shared feeling of, “Let’s do this together!” I think that sense of unity is what made the performance come together the way it did. I felt like everyone shared the same vision, working toward the same goal. And I was in this space free of distractions, completely focused. It reminded me a lot of the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki. Back then, I was in a tough spot after the short program. I placed fifth, which felt almost hopeless. From that point on, everyone around me knew exactly how far I had to push myself to win. The atmosphere in the arena was filled with this collective energy of “You’ve got to land it!” That season, the Hope & Legacy program struggled to gain recognition, and I couldn’t perform it well for a long time. Similarly, Echoes of Life this time around hadn’t reached a perfect state either, because I kept struggling with Ballade no. 1. So in that sense, it really did feel a bit like Helsinki. No matter how focused I am, I can’t create that kind of atmosphere by myself. But because this was a tour, and because we all went through so much together over the course of the season, there was this incredible sense of cohesion during the final show.

Honestly, I think it was nothing short of a miracle.

—The theme of Echoes of Life, though described as philosophical, actually touches on many fundamental questions—such as “life,” “what it means to be alive,” “time,” and “who am I.”

As the core of an introduction to philosophy, what I ultimately think of is “life.” To expand on the idea of “life,” you need to understand the “present” and the “timeline.” And in order to understand the “timeline,” you first have to understand the “self.” So I structured the content almost like a course, arranging it in a systematic way. The Room Guide offers prompts to encourage philosophical thinking step by step, and in the end, asks the audience: “What is the answer to your life?”

—Then what is the meaning of life for Nova?

That’s something I’ll leave to everyone’s imagination. To be honest, I’ve already decided how it ends in my own mind. The production team probably knows, too. But I think… it’s better if I don’t say it out loud.

[The Existence of People Who Watch with Pure Interest and Enjoy It]

—After RE_PRAY, you mentioned that you had become able to rely on your fans. Now that a year has passed, looking at the atmosphere at your shows and within the Hanyu community, it feels like that environment has evolved into something even more open...

I know what you mean, that kind of warm feeling. For example, this time in Echoes of Life, I used classical music. The people who have always supported me probably felt something like, “As expected, Hanyu skating to classical music is just the best. This kind of traditional figure skating program really is wonderful.” And beyond that, because it’s ICE STORY, the stage design and artistic elements also allow people who work in the arts or love art, and those who genuinely love music, to experience it and think, “This really is great.” Not only that, even people drawn in from the areas I personally love like games and anime can enjoy it too. There are people who have been here since long ago, and new people joining in, and there is no hostility in this place. Everyone watches out of pure interest, and I think because it’s a gathering place filled with quality works, everyone is able to find joy in it. In the end, I really think that’s the most important thing.

Back when I was competing, because there were wins and losses, I think the people who fought alongside me probably felt regret too or hoped for me to win if I felt frustration. But that part doesn’t exist anymore. At the same time, though, we can still share in the feeling of “I know you wanted to deliver a perfect performance.” Newcomers in the audience can simply think, “That was beautiful—” I hope this can create a kind of positive cycle.

—Recently, you've been giving your all in performances like ICE STORY, and at other times you’re busy creating programs or doing all kinds of livestreams on YouTube. You seem to be working hard on many things. Though your schedule looks very full, it also seems like you’re enjoying this kind of life. How do you feel about your current days?

I do feel very fulfilled. I’m surrounded by amazing people. No matter what ideas I bring up, they always respond; no matter what I try to do, they help turn it into something really good. I trust them that much. So right now, I feel like I’m being really greedy, in a good way, chasing after things I want to do, things I want to challenge myself with, things I want to improve. That’s how it feels.

To be honest, for example, at the Hiroshima performance, in terms of expression, I thought it was very good. I felt it was a great show. But in terms of the jumps, there were parts I regretted. Like we talked about earlier with choreography. Even though there were things I regretted, I think my performance still managed to come across well, and that’s thanks to the strength of the production design. Challenging myself to that level definitely involves risk, but because there are people I can rely on and entrust things to, I feel safe trying. Right now, I’m surrounded by people I can call my teammates, or maybe it’s better to say I’ve been fortunate to meet people I can share ideas with, people who help expand my thinking. So I feel like, no matter what I do, it’ll be okay.

[anxiousgaypanicking]

Fucking Machine

Loceit (Logan x Janus) Kinktober 2023 Day Ten: Fucking Machine Warnings: robot porn, wire play, electrocution, overstimulation, premature ejaculation, grinding

"Forgive me if I don't exactly trust you to check my hardware," Logan states, as Janus leads him through the house and up a flight of stairs. "Typically, I run an analysis on myself, and - if I need human assistance - I ask Virgil. You, on the other hand, have never been that... mindful of technology." 

Janus shrugs off Logan's concerns. "I'm more trustworthy when it comes to technology than Patton." 

"That's not hard to accomplish," Logan refutes, as Janus guides them into Logan's own bedroom. It's decorated to look human, but the metal table donned with a singular pillow clashes with the dresser, closet, and framed photos quite a bit. 

Still, it was what Logan had requested. He had no need for a bed; he didn't much like laying on his front, and his charging port was on his lower back. If he needed to sit at all, he'd rather do it on a table akin to the one he was created atop of. It also meant he could sit straighter while charging. 

Janus guides him to the table and encourages him to sit, before sitting criss-cross behind him. Janus finds the cold metal to be rather harsh and uncomfortable, but he keeps quiet about that for now. 

"I don't understand why you're doing this anyway. According to my recent self-scans, I've been running perfectly fine." 

"Isn't it nice to double check, though?" Janus asks, as his fingers slide beneath Logan's polo. 

Logan's skin is synthetic - it's made to feel human, but lacks warmth. Janus can even press his fingers into Logan's sides or arms and they'll sink a bit into the fake flesh, but it's just an outer layer designed to protect his wires and circuitry, the same way the skin is just an outer layer made to protect muscle and bone. 

Logan frowns. "It won't be nice when your unskilled prodding causes a server shutdown," he argues, as Janus slowly pulls his shirt up and over his body. 

He's able to process each touch to his body due to an array of microfibers built into the synthetic skin. He's been told it should feel identical to the way a human would feel when being touched the same way, but Logan had no way to compare the two. So Janus's fingertips brushing against his soft back makes his internal nerves spark, with Logan stiffening and straightening his posture. 

"If you're going to pull out the panel, I'd suggest you get on with it. I'm not here to entertain you." 

Janus chuckles softly. "Aren't you made to be patient?" 

"I can tell you that I'm definitely not made to be tampered with." Logan turns his head to the side, and gives Janus a cold glare. "Especially by someone already acting so unprofessional." 

"Such a snarky tongue. Is that programmed, or just preferred?" 

"Preferred." 

Janus grins. "Hm. I like it." 

"I'd like for you not to damage my hardware." 

"Relax," Janus soothes, as his hands push into Logan's back in two specific spots parallel to each other on his left and right side. The pressure causes Logan's skin in a rectangular shape to sink a bit, before it springs out with a soft hiss. Janus dips his hand underneath the left-hand opening, just barely able to wedge two of his fingers under it, and undoes a latch. This allows him to fully swing the panel open like a door, and reveals Logan's innerworkings beneath. 

There's a metal spine down the center of his back that allows Logan to turn and bend like a typical person, but Janus is able to reach his arms into Logan around it, which immediately has Logan clicking in disapproval. 

"Anything you'd need to look at would be on the screen on the inside of my back panel," Logan states,  though Janus is fully aware of this. "There's no reason for you to be sticking your hands into my body." 

"Physical checkup," Janus reasons, before sitting up on his knees. He places his chin on Logan's shoulder, with his hands sliding up Logan's spine. "You can't exactly see inside your back; how sure are you that everything's still in order? It seems to me that every time Virgil's worked on your system, he's only paid attention to your digital data or reports. When was the last time he made sure there were no exposed wires, twisted circuits, or dented metal?" 

Logan hesitates, before claiming "I think I'd be able to feel if things were damaged." 

Janus's fingers reach back into his innards, and his fingertips lightly caress the thick, black wires braded around thin metal rods, which all formed together into a makeshift ribcage. The action makes Logan bite his lip, an artificial - but incredibly noticeable - flush spreading over his cheeks in an almost cartoonish manner. 

"Careful," Janus murmurs. "We don't want you to overheat, now do we?" 

Logan's fingers tap against his thigh. "No. No, I suppose not." 

"Good. May I check?" 

Logan glances at Janus, knowing full well what Janus means by "check." And yet, he nods. "Only if you're careful." 

"I'll make sure you're still functional afterwards," Janus assures him, before adding "but I can't promise much more than that." 

He kisses Logan's bare shoulder, before leaning back down to poke at Logan's autonomy. Logan's mostly still as Janus's hands explore his insides yet again, but he knows it's only a matter of time before Janus is determining what looks the most fun to play with and decides to pull and push at it. 

And seemingly, the first thing that seems to interest him are the coloured wires, which he runs his fingers over. 

He decides to tease the yellow one first, and pinches the cord lightly, before sliding upwards, and then dragging his fingers downwards, tugging briefly on the wire and making Logan jolt suddenly. 

"Careful!" Logan insists, but his voice glitches as he rubs his hands over his thighs. 

"Trust me," Janus responds, pressing a kiss to the back of Logan's neck. He hears a click, followed by a soft whirring sound as Logan's fans begin, with his outer layer heating up ever so slightly. Janus smiles against Logan's skin.

"Do you secretly like it when I pull on that wire?" Janus asks, as he tugs on that very cord again. This time, Logan hisses, but it's not the reaction Janus wants. So he hums, and runs his fingers over a few others, before stroking the red cord. That has Logan moaning and jolting, his hands gripping the edge of the table they're seated on. 

"Ahh," Janus muses, "I see. You were just waiting for me to find the right wire. This one is fun, but I wonder what the blue one does..." 

Janus again switches wires, and tugs a lot more harshly on the blue one, with something becoming unplugged and Logan's innards sparking. Logan lets out a glitchy cry as Janus rushes to pull his hand out of Logan's back, not wanting to injure himself. 

"Fuck," Janus curses quietly, before setting a hand gently on Logan's upper shoulder. "Are you alright?" 

Logan pants. "You just... unplugged my ethernet port." 

Janus chews his inner cheek. "Do you... do you need that?" 

Logan huffs, turning to glare at Janus over his shoulder, who smiles prettily at Logan's narrow eyes. "You're going to dismantle me someday." 

"I'm going to take that as a 'no.'" Janus grabs the loose cable and ducks a bit to try and figure out the plug the small, cylindrical plug into. He sees the silver ring clear on a small black box up inside Logan's body. Janus reaches up to rub over the port with his finger, making Logan moan softly. "However, I'll be nice. I'll plug it back in for you, so you can... connect to the ethernet." 

"It allows me to tap into the local network in order to access speedy data transmissions," Logan murmurs, his eyes fluttering shut as Janus circles the hole with his plug, teasing the very tip of it at the plugs entrance. Janus pushes it in just enough for it to be noticeable, and then pulls it out again, making Logan shudder and stutter as he attempts to continue. "It doesn't... it doesn't do much for me at home, but it's useful for when we're out." 

"Oh yeah? So should I just..." Janus slips the cord in just enough for it to be noticeable, but not fully, edging Logan out of that satisfying click, "not plug this back in, then? It doesn't do anything anyway, right?" 

Logan whines, taking in a shuddering breath that lets Janus watch as small pistons nestled in his faux ribcage pump the air back out. "Please. Plug it in, please." 

Janus smirks, and does just that, and while normally plugging something in wouldn't feel this intense, something about the way Janus speaks or the way he teases his outlet makes it such, and so when Janus fully plugs the ethernet cord in, Logan jolts and sparks, eyes briefly flashing fully white, and moaning outright. Again, Janus has to rush to pull his hand out, before huffing. 

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to electrocute me." 

Logan pants, arching his back and reaching behind him, as if trying to dig his fingers into his open panel and play with his cords himself. "I'd just be electrocuting us both, in that scenario. I spark because this is unnatural; it's not my fault I wasn't built to be played with."

Humming, Janus's hands circle around Logan's body and run his hands down between Logan's thighs, feeling the straining bulge in his jeans. "What's this for, then?" he asks, while grinding his palm over the area, making Logan squeeze his legs together, unintentionally pushing Janus's hand further against his crotch. 

"Anatomical accuracy," Logan weakly explains, but he knows Janus doesn't care. 

Janus blindly undoes Logan's jeans, struggling briefly with the zipper before he can get it down, and pulls out Logan's cock. 

He was built to be average in terms of size, but sensitive in terms of touch. The purpose of that feature was so that he could touch distinct surfaces and identify what they're made of, but it meant he was also incredibly sensitive to touch from others, especially in areas which weren't normally stimulated. 

Janus strokes his fingers over Logan's cock with little hesitation, before pulling his hands away and peering into Logan's back. 

"Your... fluid compartment... does that connect to your shaft?" 

"Of course it does." 

As Janus's eyes find the small, round-shaped, bag-like compartment, he's delighted to see it's full of a milky white liquid. "Is that for anatomical accuracy as well?"

Logan swallows the nonexistent spit in his mouth. "It is." 

Janus reaches out to touch the compartment, and cringes with fascination and disgust at how it feels. It's like a ball made of nano-tape; just thick enough to hold firm, but malleable when squished. And so, out of morbid curiosity, Janus squishes it.

Perhaps he wasn't thinking about where that fluid would go when squeezed out of its compartment, or maybe he wasn't aware that such an easily overlooked piece of hardware was essentially created to be similar to a human prostate, but either way Janus is incredibly startled when Logan's body jolts as pleasure rushes through him, and he lets out a warped cry as an orgasm is quickly forced out of him before he's ready. 

The sudden excitement has Logan sparking with delight and surprise of his own, and despite having previously been careful to avoid the loose electricity, Janus couldn't possibly have seen this coming. 

A loose wire comes into contact with the back of Janus's hand, and before he can even gasp electricity is coursing through his body, and sending an overload of electricity through Logan's as well as he conducts it through his flesh and back into Logan's hardware. 

The shocking, the pain, and the pleasure last for mere seconds before Janus is pulling away, but it's just long enough for them to both fall of the table in opposite directions. 

Janus falls onto his backside near Logan's wall. Logan falls forward onto his chest across from him. 

Struggling to catch his breath, Janus holds his hand and turns to look at Logan, who's laying limp. Immediately, he freaks out. Sure, he's human, and that much electricity could be dangerous, but Logan was a fucking machine. He's not supposed to be electrocuted; Janus could have seriously damaged him!

As Janus moves to stand up, he realizes he's hard in his pants, and curses at the poor timing as he circles the table and drops to his knees beside Logan. His pants land in a sticky mess of Logan's artificial come, and he cringes, but attempts to ignore his disgust in favor of flipping Logan over, closing his back panel in the process. 

Logan's eyes are shut, but when Janus slides his eyelids up, he sees that his eyes are completely black. 

Filled with a rush of anxiety, Janus reaches his hand around to the back of Logan's neck, and feels a button at the base of his hairline, which he presses and holds down, praying that it starts to glow. 

And thankfully, it does.

There's a small power-up tune that plays as the button on the back of Logan's neck flashes, before Logan's eyes are slowly blinking open. They shift from solid black to bright wide, and then with a few more blinks blue irises are forming, swirling around like a loading screen before solidifying with a black pupil. 

Logan stares blankly for a minute, before his face heats up into an embarrassed flush. 

"Sorry," he mumbles, as Janus helps him sit up. 

"Sorry?" Janus repeats, in disbelief. "I'm the one who should be apologizing! Are you... hurt in any way?" 

"No."

"Are you sure?" 

Janus's hands reach for Logan's face, but Logan grabs his wrists and causes him to stop short. Logan's eyes flicker away from Janus, before settling back on him as he admits "I shut myself down." 

"What?!" Janus frowns and smacks Logan's shoulder. "You're not funny. The others would have never let me hear the end of it if I'd damaged you!" 

Logan clears his throat. "I could feel a server overload coming due to the electricity and so shut myself down in order to reprogram myself and install better hardware. It's still processing, but it should finish in a couple minutes." 

"Better hardware?" 

Logan stretches his arm out, wiggles his fingers, and then circles his arm around, testing his mobility. "Yes. Better hardware. Obviously a surplus amount of electricity can cause physical damage, but I'm fairly resilient. My main concern would be my hard drives or servers becoming overwhelmed and either corrupting or frying them altogether. So... I installed a few failsafes." 

"Such as...?" 

"I lowered my electricity output temporarily," Logan begins, listing items off the top of his head, "both for my benefit, and yours-" 

Janus looks away at the implication he'd be reaching back into Logan's insides. 

"I downloaded some protection agencies that increase my server's abilities to withstand extreme stress, I copied and uploaded some of my most important assets to the cloud, I ran a diagnostic and made sure no permanent damage was done, and reprogrammed myself to shut down in the event of extreme electric damage so that neither of us would be killed if that intense of a shock were to happen again." 

Staring blankly at Logan, Janus clasps his hands together. "So... we're good to resume?" 

Logan sighs, but a smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "Yes; if you so desire." 

And Janus does so desire, and so flips Logan back over without warning, where Logan obediently stays on his hands and knees. He lets Janus push his chest against the ground and flip his back panel open once more, and tries to keep his body from overheating when he feels Janus's bulge push against his clothed ass. 

"Your fans flicked on again," Janus comments, as his hands plunge back into Logan's innards. He feels wind blow over his scales and shivers, but is more than amused at how quickly they were activated. 

"It's a precaution," Logan murmurs, visibly embarrassed. 

Janus leans over Logan, grinding his hard cocks over Logan's backside and groaning into his ear, before Janus searches for a new item inside of Logan to play with. He pokes the small compartment, though now it's lacking fluid. While that means no more mess, Janus suspects that Logan won't mind having a dry orgasm or two. 

Logan lets out a shaky breath as Janus's fingers rub over his ribcage, his spine, and then back down to his wires, some hanging looser than others. Briefly, Janus's fingers rub over an unused outlet - fit for a hard drive, if Logan ever needed to transfer outside information to his servers - and it makes Logan moan outright. 

"I've heard of plugs being used during sex, but you take it to a whole new level," Janus teases, as his other hand tugs firmly on an intertwined group of wires, which makes Logan suddenly cry out, arching his chest against the floor. Janus grinds his thumb more purposefully over the empty socket. "Maybe I'll download some of Remus's porn onto a hard drive and plug it into you without warning. Would you like that? If I overwhelmed your intellectual technology with graphic, defiling content?" 

Despite Logan's typical stoic behavior, he actually pushes his forehead against the floor as he moans out "yes." His voice is glitchy and quiet, and it causes Janus to let out a shuddering breath of his own as he ruts his hips against Logan's ass. 

As Janus's hand continues to slide against the open plug in the lower right hand side of Logan's back, his other caresses the wires up to where they disappear into a black box. And so, he slides it back down to a circuit board, which he is gentle when touching despite Logan beeping in surprise as Janus's fingers tap against it.

"Careful!" Logan again exclaims, though he sounds more excited than anything. "That's fragile!" 

Janus grinds harder against Logan's ass at just how cute he sounds. "I am careful," he assures Logan, while pushing his longer thumb nails into both the plug and the circuit board. 

Little flickers of electricity bounce off the circuit board, shocking Janus once or twice, but it's significantly tamer compared to what he's already experienced. And with Logan's little jolts and whimpers, Janus can assume he's feeling the shocks too.

But what Logan's really amazed by is how foreign and obviously wrong the protrusion of Janus's nail is into his outlet, and the scratching of his circuit board, and yet... he's getting off on this technological malpractice. 

Everything that Janus is doing to him is unique. New. And so Logan desperately tries to record and memorize the strange way it feels. However, the light touches also allows Logan to breathe - both metaphorically, and artificially. In this brief respite, Logan's reminded that he's pathetically hard due to the weight of his cock hanging between his legs. He knows his fluid compartment is empty, but that doesn't negate his ability to have an orgasm, and he knows Janus will going to push him to his limit again and again and again if he so desires. 

Embarrassed, Logan hides his face in the floor, picturing how lewd and unprofessional he's being. He must look like some sort of sexbot! But before he can complain, Janus is dipping his face into Logan's panel, and lightly blowing air over his circuit board, causing Logan to gasp as his head shoots up in surprise. 

He tries to crane his head back to look at Janus, who just grins at him in response and grinds a little harder, reminding Logan that Janus is also getting off on toying with him like he's some sort of do-it-yourself robot kit. 

Logan opens his mouth to complain, but nothing comes out. Still though, Janus playfully explains "I thought I saw a speck of dust," lying right through his teeth. His words however have Logan whining anyway, and Janus draws a particularly loud noise from him when he begins to snake his fingers around a couple wires. 

Even the faintest of touches make him moan and shut his eyes, submissively pushing his face back into the ground as Janus messes with him. 

"What-" Logan starts, but his voice abruptly glitches and cuts out, making him flush and focus for a moment on steadying himself. After clearing his throat, he tries again, and asks "what are you doing?" 

Janus just smiles. "I think I see a few tangled wires..." he says, as both of his hands move to a cluster of them. Feeling Janus's fingers caress the cords makes Logan gasp, only for him to moan when Janus begins to carefully pluck and untwist a set that were indeed wrapped around each other. They're guided out of sockets in order to be looped through the meshed cables, and then re-plugged in such smooth tandem that Logan's never given a break to catch his breath. 

He's touching multiple wires for a prolonged amount of time, gently maneuvered back to where Janus believes they should be, even if it doesn't affect their ability to function at all. 

And Logan repeatedly moans and groans as Janus continues to slide the wires past each other, rubbing them against other cords and in-between his own warm, fleshy fingers. Logan's noises increase in pitch the longer Janus touches, and raise in volume the firmer his caresses get. 

And while Janus takes his time initially in playing with Logan, he can't help but become impatient at the lack of pleasure he's feeling himself, and so grabs Logan's wires more tightly - almost as leverage - while he grinds harder against him, moaning into Logan's back panel and breathing over his sensitive hardware. 

A click is heard followed by Logan's internal fans whirring slightly louder, as though they've increased in intensity and kicked into high-gear, and Janus can't help but laugh softly as he rests his forehead against the side of Logan's back - teetering on the edge of his synthetic flesh and Logan's exposed innards.

"Feeling hot?" Janus teases, before his forked tongue licks across the rim of the panel's opening. That has Logan crying out; the power button on the back of his neck flashing excitedly. Janus raises his eyebrow as he looks at it. 

"Is this draining your battery?" he asks, and watches Logan slump in humiliation, as pleasure rushes through his body as Janus continues to twirl his wires around like they're fidget toys for his amusement. "My, we might just have to leave you plugged in all night to recuperate after this!" Janus's fingers pull out of Logan's panel, sliding over his inner walls before leaving entirely, and instead move to circle around his charging port on his lower back. 

Lightly, Janus rubs his pointer finger over it, and that's all it takes. 

Logan's gasping, crying and glitching - his moans a stuttering cacophony of different sound bites and start-up noises, all mixed in with his artificial breathing and the differing noises spilling from his back. His charging port sparks and the electricity catches Janus again, shocking him more intensely this time, but he moans against Logan and just presses his finger harder against it, rubbing it feverishly against the outlet as Logan's worked through a dry orgasm before he lays limply on the ground, wonderfully overstimulated and burnt out (literally). 

Janus smiles as he moves his hand away from Logan's port, and spends the next minute or so humping against Logan's ass before he comes in his own pants with a soft moan, and then closes Logan's back panel before falling against him. However, the constant light from Logan's flashing power button bothers him, and so he pulls away. 

"You really should plug yourself in," Janus comments, as he helps Logan to his feet. 

Logan struggles to stand for a moment, mumbling "hold on... recalibrating balance settings..." while trying to get his loose cock back into his jeans, before he falls over onto his metal table chest-first.

He lays against it limply, and thanks Janus after the latter struggles to lift Logan's heavy form fully onto the surface. 

Janus circles around Logan to his wall outlet, where he takes Logan's charger into his hand and promptly plugs it in. Logan whines, as though he's still sensitive, but his power light glows happily at being plugged in. Janus leans against the table and sighs. 

"How are you feeling?" 

Logan turns his head to the side, so he can speak without sounding muffled. "Fine. I don't think anything's permanently damaged." 

Janus huffs out a laugh. "That's a relief." 

"Knowing you? I agree." 

Janus smacks Logan's lower thigh playfully, before focusing on his breathing for a moment. Logan's rhythmic, synthetic breathes contrast greatly to Janus's more irregular exhales, but there's both visibly pleased, albeit a tad messy. He'll get himself cleaned up after catching his breath, and he supposes that when he's done with a bath he'll come wipe Logan down. He'll even be extra careful! He's sure Logan will appreciate it. 

[ravenstargames]

✦ Lost in Limbo Devlog #9 | 02.29.24

What is this?! Two devlogs in one month?! More likely than you think! This February has been very productive for me and the team, so let's dive right into it!

Ooooh boy, Raquel keeps knocking it out of the park! She managed to get done every expression for every LI, and I coded them all! Now we have our wonderful characters ready for their debut. We have been using the wonderful Image Tools for Ren'py made by the talented and hard-working Feniks, whose tutorials and resources save a lot of dev's lives every day! This tool has made everything a bit easier for newbies like me, hehe.

Here's a taste of our edgelord's expressions! 💜 They're kind of a cutie when they put some effort into it!

We also had our second valentine's day celebration art piece thanks to Kayden! Sadly with the reworked version of the demo, you won't meet Vycar yet, so we thought we could ask for his forgiveness by giving him a beautiful bouquet and reminding him how much of a sweetheart he is! 💜

Also, Raeya got a hair update!

So, we weren't completely satisfied with the way we portrayed Raeya's hair, so this has been a rework we were sure we wanted to make. At first we were just going to render it again, but we ended up working on it from scratch to better represent what we envisioned for her. We hope you like it as much as we do! ; v ;💜

As always, we are open to any critique or advice; we are white people who have the luck to be able to ask POC friends for their advice as we work, but the more the merrier! Don't hesitate to send us your opinion to our ask box or even our email, gamesravenstar@gmail.com!

When it comes to the background department, we have been making great progress thanks to Airyn, who is honestly leaving us with our mouths hanging open every time! Thanks to her, another background has been finished and another one is in the making, leaving only two backgrounds to be revised and approved!

I personally can't stop looking at this WIP! She understood perfectly what we wanted to portray just by looking at an old WIP we had, and this is what we have so far—and it's already amazing!

Allie has been OBLITERATING the script. As of today, I think we have almost gone through everything that needed to be corrected and discussing, and lord if the script doesn't look a 100% better after we put it in Allie's hands. The way she writes, the way she understands everything I want to say even when sometimes I don't even know myself—what a talented, inspiring and amazing writer they are. I know I may sound annoying at this point singing her praises endlessly, but if the script is in the state where it is now, it's thanks to her!

My programming adventure of the month has been a success, if I say so myself! I've coded the characters with aaaaall their layers, their expressions, the blinking animations, made some videos, and started coding the script. Step by step as they say; I've coded 18 pages, and there's, uh...142 more to go. Haha! *sobs*

BUT WE ARE GETTING THERE! We can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I can finally click 'new game' and read the script and see the stuff going on! YAY!

Some extras of the month—we are preparing a Casting Call to choose the voice acting talent that will hopefully give voice to our characters. The demo won't be fully voiced (it's impossible with the funds we have, which are...zero), but if we are lucky we'll use some of our personal savings to pay for at least a few lines for each character so you can get an idea of how they'll sound if we get funded! Raquel is preparing an art piece for the announcement, and I'm getting the document ready and asking fellow VA friends for advice :3.

Also, we have a new member here at Ravenstar Games! Some weeks ago Astro and I formally adopted our first kitty, 8 month old Riki, fulfilling one of our dreams. We got him from a feline association that works with volunteers and fosters cats who have been abandoned, cats they find on the street, and so on. Riki has been living with me since January, and he's a happy, long big boy who loves playing, cuddles, and sitting on my desk while I try to work!

Say hi to the Ravenstar family, Riki! 💜

A productive month full of accomplished milestones, excitement and new challenges! The team has worked so hard, and I've done my part too! We still don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but we have done a lot of stuff we were sure we wouldn't finish yet, and look at that! We are doing so well!

As you can probably tell, my batteries are starting to run low, so I'm going to leave this devlog here. Thank you all like always for cheering us on, for being here in this journey with us, and for all the love you send our way. Let's hope March is as amazing as February has been, for us and for all of you! 💜

[starryeyedstray]

btw, i did not realize krita has a built-in time lapse recording feature. like holy heck what do you mean it's literally just in there. THE WHOLE TIME????? THIS PROGRAME IS FREE AND IT CAN DO EVERYTHING I SWEAR. now i kinda wanna make time lapses of my art. i can show the whole world my tedious and honestly quite terrible approach to digital art bc i make things 100% more inefficient cause i am a traditional artist at heart and i don't understand everything doesn't need to be on one layer

[geigersy]

trans students have it hard.

this is no surprise to anyone who’s gone through school. regardless of whether or not you’re out, transitioned, or even aware of your identity, it’s so often i hear the same story from my siblings in queerness. hate comes from all directions—teachers, students, even from those in your own community. time and time again it’s been proven that our chances of success only dwindle when faced with an unsupportive environment.

isn’t it clear that so many lgbtq people live with an extra layer of difficulty? especially today, trying to get through school while it feels as though the entire country has it out for you. do you know what it’s like to be propped as a scapegoat for what’s wrong in the world, while your government focuses on taking your rights away?

transgender people are more likely to be assaulted or killed. we are at a higher risk for homelessness, which then means it’s even harder to survive. now more than ever, in the communities you live, you need to support trans people.

my home state, florida, is so dangerous to be in as a trans person that many queer supporting groups list it as unsafe to travel in whatsoever. legislation here restricts educator’s ability to express themselves freely, allowing gender to be called into question as part of a humiliating display over bathrooms, and taking away countless books with representation differing at all from average heteronormative american values. i’m afraid to even swim alone without repercussion.

please take notice of the issues all transgender, nonbinary, and genderqueer students go through. if there is anything you can do to help your trans friends and peers get through their degree programs, consider them. create local resources and networks to understand how to be part of a community safety net. the more that we are in union, the more chance we have to thrive.

if you have the ability to, put effort into locating your closest support groups. contribute to their lists of safe providers, listen to the actual human people. become a part of groups like PFLAG, the ACLU, or other networks that support trans youth such as the one i have linked as my post source.

there is no better time than now to become a friend of the trans community. there is no better time to support those in your area with affirmation, connection, and care.

suggestions to support community

create a study group! find a safe, consistent place to contact and/or meet each other. make efforts to include other students and maintain rules to ensure their safety

share knowledge of local, trans-friendly locations and support trans-run small businesses

go to local drag shows and tip your performers!

donate to organizations fighting for lgbtq rights at the local, state, and federal level

MOST OF ALL: be kind. behind every person is a life full of joy and sorrow. strive to be the joy in theirs.

[romiiarts]

Hi!! I absolutely adore your artwork, your style is truly stunning ♥️

Did you always use clip studio as the place for your works? If so how did you get so good at it?! I feel like even with youtube videos clip studio seems like so much 😭😂

Also, when will more slots open for your Hell/ Hell but Premium, on Patreon?

Thank you so much!! 🤍

I have used CSP since around 2019 probably and yea I know the program can seem a little scary with all the windows and tools it has to offer but I feel once you get the handle of it, it's truly one of the best out there!

I'd say start by closing every window you don't use or understand and keep it very basic, brushes, color wheel, layers, etc and as you go and you find the need to have something else by hand you can start adding more to your set up!

As for the tiers I don't think I'll open more spots since those tiers allow you to request a doodle personally monthly and well, there's only so much I can handle 😂😭

I know they're sold out atm so it's just a matter of waiting if someone cancel their sub so you can join it 🥺🤍

[jancer-lancer]

Ahoy, lancer.

Mind if I ask how you do the pixel art for your mechs? I think I want to try it out, for a mech I've been brainstorming on. Do you use base forms and graft stuff on? Is it an editor thing, or do I need to get serious and invest in a tablet and pen?

For a more relevant question, on a scale of "Oh this is easy" to "I cannot feel anything anymore", what am I about to walk into?

Ahoy! I use clip studio paint to place, edit, and colour pngs downloaded from the retrograde minis website. You do need to pay for their patreon to get the separated pngs, but you can just pay for one month and download them all pretty quick, the files are tiny.

My program of choice is clip studio paint, but I used to use photopea, which is a nearly feature complete copy of Photoshop that's available on browser. The basics are fairly easy to use, once you understand layers, using overlays for colours, the selection tool, and the pen.

I know other people that also use Photoshop, Aesprite, and Krita, if you're more familiar with those.

While I do use a tablet, it's not necessary at all. It just makes the process a little easier, so I would recommend one with buttons and a scroll wheel.

My biggest piece of advice is to join the retrograde minis discord. It has loads of tutorials and very helpful members, and you can upload any edits you're proud of to the retrograde site "chop shop" from there.

[aibouart]

I really would love an idea of your process I'm still learning how to digital art and you're such an inspiration! I know you have a lot of info but I wanna get better and you do such good work! Sorry if this is rude to ask, I've followed you for years and just was able to afford a tablet. ^w^ If you don't want to answer you don't have to I love your art!!

YEAS OFC!! congrats on your first tablet, i know how excited i was w mine (tho i had been using mouse for so long that it took a long time to get used to it haha)

honestly there's a lot i could give tips for it really depends on what program you're using ! I still use Paint Tool SAI personally, but there really isnt any one best program guaranteed to make your art better, never get caught in the trap of thinking your program makes or breaks your art cuz it's really not true..!

but general tips for digital art itself:

experiment with layers, this is the very base of anything digital art (you can still use single layer but i gotta stress how understanding layering and layers is a skill that transfers to a LOT of digital anything, even video editing)

relatedly, here's a tutorial i did on layer folders and clipping! it might be a lot at first and i understand! all of my past tutorials are tagged as #tut ~

get to know your program's tools and shortcuts. shortcuts will make you faster at digital art without even needing to get faster at the art itself (assuming you're using something with a keyboard). majority of my speed these days comes from experience w what im drawing but definitely also from shortcuts.

if you see any tutorials you want to try, try them!! don't sit on them and do nothing with them, art is as much muscle memory as it is knowledge. even if you know all the steps you still gotta "train" yourself for it yanno?? it prolly won't do much just sitting there in a reblog tag..!

don't be afraid to colour pick to learn. lots of artists say dont colour pick, but like, as long as you aren't doing it to recreate their character then tbh you can still do that to learn what's going on. sometimes a colour isn't what you think it is..!

trust the process!! if u really aren't feeling a piece that's ok, but if you ever try digital painting you NEED to trust your process. it will always look like garbo mess at first before it's refined, don't get discouraged each time cuz then you won't finish anything!! likewise not everything needs to be shared, no one has to see the drawings you give up on or didn't like, so try not to feel bad about something not turning out either!

try not to get hung up on comparisons between you and other artists. this kind of thinking can really make art not fun anymore 0(

ultimately art is about fun imo, if you are having fun trying something, or making something, or you just want to draw the same OC over and over then do it! i personally have done a study on figures maybe 3 times in my entire life because that kind of thing bores me, i do art because it's fun and feels good, intrinsic motivation is the best imo!

if you had a specific question about anything tho, either how i've done something or about a program/tool you can always inbox me! i might be slow to reply cuz busy a lot, but i genuinely love to share now (i know in the past i've been protective but i've grown a lot since then i like to think...!)

[matrixrecoder]

Neptune Rx at 29° Pisces is about to make me preach a sermon on this beautiful New Moon in Leo summer Sunday ☀️

I’ve been seeing the craziest religious posts over the last few months. Like the one above. From adding the 10 commandments to public school classrooms to yoga being evil 🤦🏻‍♀️

How bizarre. How bizarre.

Here we are with Neptune at the very last degree of the entire zodiac wheel, where we should all embodying Christ Consciousness, but it’s retrograde and everyone is losing their shizz.

Zodiac signs are archetypes.

Astrology is the language of the stars.

If all you know about it is that your religion says it’s bad, then you should question your religion.

In fact, I have always and will always encourage everyone to question their beliefs.

Why do you believe what you believe?

Because someone instilled fear within you?

Ohhh the fear of god?

The divine is nothing to fear. The Christian book of rules and judgment (that Christians don’t even live their lives by, but judge non-Christian with 🤦🏻‍♀️), was meant to control through fear.

What’s so wild to me is the entire bypassing of programming and conditioning that comes with Christianity.

Programs and trauma turn into personality disorders, PTSD, anxiety and a whole list of issues that separate us from knowing ourselves and cause stress and damage to our physical bodies.

Conditioning is what happens to us in public schools and with religious indoctrination.

(“If you don’t pay attention and get good grades, you won’t get a good job and you’ll end up homeless!” …. “If you don’t get saved by a man in a story book, you’ll burn in an afterlife of hell for all eternity”) FEAR BASED MENTALITY.

These fear based ideas were put into place to keep you from finding the divine within. To make you believe that you need something outside of yourself to save you.

To even understand the zodiacal archetype(s) you signed up for in this life, you’d have to strip away all the layers of conditioning the world has thrown at you and made you believe about yourself.

The real journey is the journey of self.

Through and with others—that are also you.

To know thyself is to know the divine.

Once you learn the language of astrology, you can’t help but to see the patterns everywhere.

Once you self realize and find God within, you can’t help but to see the Divine in ALL 👁️✨

You can exit duality, but it will require a complete metamorphosis of the self.

Once you strip away the programs and conditioning.. then you’re gonna wonder who you really are. Who are you really? Before the world told you what to think, what to believe, what to say, and what to do?

And in your authenticity, you will find everything.

Happy New Moon Leo 🌙☀️🔥

(12H for me)

[nellie-elizabeth]

Doctor Who: Dot and Bubble (14x05)

Wow, holy shit. This season keeps getting better and better.

Cons:

I really only have one tiny complaint, and it's that I wish the walking thing had been done a little differently? I think, allegorically, the idea that they all need arrows and instruction to be able to walk around when they have their bubbles up all the time is a good idea. Like, often when I'm driving somewhere I should know how to get to on my own, I still pull up the map on my phone just as an extra sense of security, or because I never bothered to fully memorize which side street to turn down or what have you. So it makes sense on that level. But the part where Lindy is literally running into poles and desks and stuff read as a little too ridiculous. I wish it had been a little less literal? Like what if instead of running into stuff, it's that Lindy is overwhelmed by the variety of things she's looking at around her, constantly distracted and overwhelmed, and she needs to mutter instructions to herself in order to force herself to walk, and she still takes the sharp 90 degree turns everywhere because that's what she's used to. And then when faced with a monster right in front of her that's blocking her most natural path towards the exit, she freezes up and can't figure out how to make herself find an alternative route right away. That would work better than the scene where she's literally just running into a pole multiple times.

Pros:

But honestly! What a fucking stunning episode, with one of the best... I guess you could say, "twists", of any Doctor Who episode I can ever remember seeing. I'm not talking about the computers turning on the citizens of Finetime, I'm not talking about the home-world being taken over and not coming back to save everyone. I'm talking about Lindy and the others rejecting the Doctor's help at the end of the episode. That scene is an all time classic, instantly, I just know it.

But first let's back up and talk about Lindy as a character. I think this episode hinges on the way she toes the line the whole episode - you don't understand at first if Lindy is an example of her society, the same as everyone else, or if there's something special about her. Is she an exception to some rule, or just a coincidental POV character? She's terrified, but she tries her best - I was moved by the moments when she realizes how truly helpless she is without the bubble and cries out "I'm so stupid!" You feel a certain sense of connection with her utter helplessness and fear. She's so coddled, so trapped in her bubble, literally, that everything new and scary seems hostile to her.

So... she can be forgiven for not instantly trusting the Doctor and Ruby, right? Right? I mean, they're strangers who came out of nowhere, and she has no idea what's going on. She's just a girl in a socially dystopian scenario where everyone's so addicted to their phones that they've shut out the rest of the world, and she needs help!

That's layer one to what's going on here.

But underneath that layer, you start to notice other things pretty early on. We learn about Finetime, we learn that it's a place that only the most elite people send their children to work. We learn eventually that the very computer program running their lives has started to get sick of them and has decided to exterminate them due to the... inanity, the intolerable repetitiveness, of their pointless, vapid lives. This isn't a situation where everyone in the world is like these people. This is a situation where the wealthiest and most privileged have literally cut themselves off from experiencing anything outside of what they know, and it's a look at the reinforcement of certain beliefs that exist in that society, due to the extreme level of shelter these people are subjected to.

The way that privilege operates within the episode is also subtly and effectively condemnatory to the viewer, or at least to this viewer, in a way that really worked. I did note the whiteness of this world, specifically the white, blonde, stereotypically attractive, thin, able-bodied woman serving as our protagonist. She seemed to represent a type of person; she stands in for a type of ignorance and privilege that we recognize in our own world. But when that moment came at the end where Lindy and the other survivors reject the Doctor's help? You bet your ass I was scouring the background of the scene, searching for any people of color in the shot. I didn't find any. And yeah, it hadn't occurred to me that all the faces we see in Lindy's friend group, all the people we see in this whole world, were white - a white majority is burned into our brains as a default, it's what I, a white person myself, am accustomed to seeing on the screen.

I think the reason the scene at the end is going to stick in people's heads is because it's not a metaphorical bigotry the Doctor suffers in this moment. It's actual, it's in your face. These people aren't "symbolically" bigoted of the Doctor's otherness, they're literally just racists. They're fucking racists. And Lindy never was special - she only lasted as long as she did because her last name starts with a letter later on in the alphabet. She is utterly typical of the people in this world, and this world is a world of white supremacy, and that's all there is to it.

Ncuti Gatwa's performance of outrage and grief was absolutely stunning. I saw one reviewer talk about how it makes sense that the Doctor being Black hasn't been addressed on screen yet, as it would be a pretty wretched look for the show to cast this actor in the role and then have the character immediately suffer racism because of it. But at the same time, it should be addressed in some way, and here's the way in which it finally is. I was also moved by Ruby's silent grief. For the treatment of her friend, but also for the way in which something so evil and stupid and pointless is going to result in all these young people probably dying in the forest, all because they couldn't look past their ingrained prejudices to accept help from someone they deemed their inferior. Gatwa screams and laughs and it's clear that he's feeling so many things, such helplessness and bewilderment and frustration. I don't know how much the show will go into this, but it would be so interesting to have the character reflect on this moment where he realizes something completely arbitrary and out of his control actually has an impact on his ability to do his job well. The character has been a white man a bunch of times in a row, then a white woman, and now a Black man. The mind fuck of having direct evidence of how the world's prejudices work in all ways big and small... what an interesting avenue for the show to explore.

I should also bring up Ricky September, legend, gone too soon from this world, shoulda joined the Doctor and Ruby in the TARDIS and had a threesome with them, tbh. I love what this character represents. At first, he seems like the ultimate symbol of this vapid, image-obsessed, bubbled society, as he's shown mugging the camera singing twinkly little songs and being a sex object for his followers. But then we meet him, and he's a genuinely nice, thoughtful person who does his best to help Lindy. We learn that it's possible to live a life using the bubble for work and then logging off, learning more about the world through history instead of constantly partying and getting caught up in the moment. This story isn't really one about "kids these days on their phones with the TikToks and the blah blah blah." It's more about being entrenched in a loop, stuck with your head in the sand. And Ricky is someone who proves that there is a way to operate outside of that system. He's not necessarily a paragon of anti-racist virtue, but he's a dude who at least has taken some steps to push back against that automatic entrenchment, proving that such a thing can be done, even given the social pressures to sink into the reinforced bubble of prejudice. I also loved Ruby and the Doctor both having a crush on him.

And I love how his character winds up, a turning point where we're starting to realize that Lindy might not actually be redeemable as someone we need to be rooting for. Her sacrifice of her celebrity crush to the killer Dot was brutal, and it feels like such a good appetizer for the final scene of the episode, as the twist comes fully into play.

I think that without that final reveal at the end, this would still have been a good episode of Doctor Who. But with it, it's an all-time great episode. God, I already feel like I want to do a re-watch just to catch more of the build to that moment. I hope that next week we get more time with the Doctor, as we've had two Doctor-lite episodes in a row. But seriously - this season just keeps getting better and better as it goes.

10/10

[fightabear]

also okay i left a market early today bc i am feeling real icky sicky. but i need to share what happened before i left.

i did a walk about before i was leaving and there was this dude selling coloring books, and he was like "oh yeah i drew all these myself!" and i was flipping through, i made a comment about how his work reminded me of alphonse mucha.

blank stare.

it had the windows and flowy bits and general facial structure. like!! mucha!! you don't need to be an artist to know who that is. i'm standing there thinking i got the name wrong.

he gives another blank stare and then tries to sell me a different book, and i'm like - i've never met an artist who wasn't eager to talk about their work before things get busy at a show. the lady next to me was so excited to talk about how she made these adorable figurines just bc i called them cute. like, if there's a place to be hype about your craft its at a market. this is weird. but i thank him bc this is going to be a good xmas present for my friend and go back to my table, and then i flip open the book and i'm looking closer at the art.

and immediately i understand why he wasn't talking about art

it was either AI that was generated in greyscale or AI art he put into greyscale. this was not vectored, this was not a clean lineart layer over an ai generated photo. it still had the weird swirlies around it, the mushy lines, the weird anatomy.

i stop by a friend's table and show it to them like, "am i crazy or is this ai?" and they flip through it and just nod like, "oh, no, this is definitely ai."

so i go back to the guy's table and i'm like - he looked excited to see me come back and i'm wincing because i'm not confrontational by nature! i don't like making a scene!! so i was really reluctantly like uhhhhhh hey man i have to ask. is this ai?

and he kind of froze

started to go, "well it's AI at first but i do the lines over it in photoshop" and i mean, i know that's bullshit because if he did that then it wouldn't have the goopiness to the lines, the goopiness was what tipped me off - one of the eyes had that weird smudging that these programs do. the background clearly has the ai noise to it. but i just nod and apologize and say that i'm an artist, i can't in good conscience buy something made with AI

and then i felt like an asshole but i asked the organizers on the way out if they'd set any policies about AI. they hadn't, and like i would've felt bad if he'd paid and been kicked out, but ai has no place at a craft fair but especially has none when there's rules against it. they didn't have a rule against it, which like - let him sell the books he has on hand, that's whatever. but they agreed, said they didn't have any but they're going to be looking into introducing some policies against it.

the conversation i had with him at the end is really what makes my head spin bc like... dude i draw for a living. you did not go over this "in photoshop" except to maybe crop it to size and put it in greyscale if it had originally been in color. you can't walk this back.

he did give me a refund to be fair. i am glad he did that and didn't try to pull an all sales final thing.

but like, c'mon. don't lie and say you did anything extra to this art. you didn't.