#bgs and assets are from 1!

[akiacia]

the psyche/eros parody in hades style!

[the-physicality]

paige shouting out tash cloud at every opportunity....love that

[genericpuff]

Hello! I’m just here bc I’m a little confused on what you meant by Smythe drawing out “each individual asset” when she was making comics? Now, granted, I can see that it made her file ginormous, but me personally as someone who knows nothing about making online comics but is really wanting to get into it (and also as someone who has a ‘too many layers’ problem myself), is there a way to avoid using too many layers?

My current way of making comics has been to draw the panels individually and then format them (which I know is terrible management wise and also messes with the quality) but I honestly have no other idea of how to do it properly, and seeing how stunning Lore Rekindled looks, I don’t know how you would manage to put all that lighting effects and little details on the same layers. (But also I may be thinking of it wrong so I’ll let you talk qwq)

Ah I can actually give you a visual breakdown of what I meant by that!

So in this you can see there are a TON of layers, and not even all of them are visible because some of them are stuffed into FOLDERS that have been left closed. BUT if you look REEEEALLY carefully-

^^^ These layers right here? That's specifically Minthe from this panel in Episode 61:

(the unique pose here makes it real easy to tell that this is the corresponding panel, you can see the matching body shape with the dark shading that's clipped to the base layer below it!)

So what this means is that Rachel didn't draw all her characters on one base layer, she drew every single character in every single panel separately. Now of course, she could merge all these layers together as working on separate layers helps make it easier to work on elements that collide separately (like one character being 'underneath' another character like Hades is here) but because she has all of those clipping layers with the shading already added in, she likely didn't merge them afterwards because that would actually create MORE problems (because if she merged the Minthe layer in with Hades, then the shading for Minthe that she painted outside of the lines would show up on Hades and then she'd have to erase it which is just a bunch of extra work).

You can also tell all these characters are on their own layer because the layer thumbnail EXCLUSIVELY shows those characters. A layer will show as much canvas length as it needs to cover what's in that layer, so if the thumbnail is only showing one character, that means there's NOTHING ELSE on that layer. If there were more elements on this layer than just Minthe, the layer thumbnail would look more like this:

Now let's compare it to Rekindled's layers! I'll use a completed page to make it fair as we use a lot of extra layers in the post-production phase where we add the texture effects and glow and all that fun stuff, plus I'll even make it a more complicated page like that big nymph explanation spread from Episode 51:

So I'll break it down to make this make more sense:

BG 2 Copy (technically this is supposed to be BG 1) - Basically the panel shapes, what I'll do is mark out the panels with flat blocks and through that we'll add background elements in a clipping layer (usually done by Banshriek). Often times they'll do multiple layers to make the process easier and then merge them all together in the end. With these shapes operating as panels, it means I can just auto select the whole layer, invert the selection, and easily erase whatever's outside of it (such as the lineart and base colors that I put down afterwards). I could just use masking layers like I did in [AFTERBIRTH] but I find this way works better for the process of making Rekindled.

BG 2 - This is where we add objects / foreground elements. So stuff like furniture, interactables, anything that needs to be kept separate from the larger background to make it easier to work with. This can also include "floating" panels that need to be above other panels, such as this:

All of the backgrounds are then nested in a folder for organization purposes (we also sometimes use clipping layers on top of those folders to apply extra effects over anything contained within that folder without affecting other folders, that's a common technique that Banshriek applies)

Then we get into our Characters folder:

BASE - This is where I do the majority of my work, all the characters in every panel on a page are flatted into this layer. Sometimes I do have to create separate layers to, again, make it easier to work with overlapping characters, but usually those layers will be merged before I go into the shading process. I simply shade on a single layer by using the lasso / magic wand tool to select my area for painting, the flat colors make it really easy to do that. Sometimes I need to create a secondary shading layer if I've put down dark colors that start to bleed into the lighter colors, but again, I merge when I'm done into a single shading layer. We also sometimes employ an Add (Glow) layer into the clipping set if we need a glow effect that's exclusive to the characters and doesn't travel outside of their base colors.

There's a (leaves) layer here that I used for the dryad because I needed the leaves to be above the base layer, after that I selected the leaves elements so that I could erase the lineart in the layer above it where needed.

LINEART - It's lineart, enough said haha That said, I do think Rachel actually uses clipping layers for her lineart in places, it seems to be visible in some of her process videos where you can see the lineart present in a clipping layer, and that would explain why there are panels where the lineart suddenly 'cuts off' and doesn't travel outside of the base layer, like so:

GLOW - This is where we do an Add (Glow) layer that isn't restricted to the base layer, it's where we add all the fun lil' glow and sparkle effects over the characters !

The CLOUDS layer is, like the leaves, a background element that needs to be above the base layers rather than constricted to the background.

Above the Characters folder you can see what I mentioned earlier where Banshriek has added more post-production effects that are exclusively clipped to the contents of the Characters folder. This means the effects / blend modes do NOT affect the background layers or anything above it.

The BLUR (Overlay) layer is something we just started doing over the past several episodes, it's a technique I actually picked up from 66 of City of Blank where I merge all the layers into a new visible layer which I then apply a Gaussian Blur to at around 60% and then set to Overlay (and then I adjust the layer opacity until it looks right, usually around 25-35%), it gives it a bit of a softer "dreamier" vibe in the final colors and really helps unify everything!

CANVAS - This is an Overlay layer which is also set to an opacity of 25-35% where I go over the panels with the Add Canvas brush from the Kyle Webster set, unlike the Canvas overlay texture in CSP I can actually choose the colors I want to use which means I can match the canvas texture color to the mood and environment of the scene (ex. I'll use a very light blue for scenes in the Underworld). Not only does it give it that signature texture from S1 of LO, but it also helps balance out the effects of the BLUR layer.

The SKETCH layer sits on top of everything and gets turned off once all the base layers and lineart are down, and ofc the SPEECH folder is just where all the text is kept.

I know everything I just laid out is a LOT but ultimately it's how we operate, it works for us! But it also begs the question of why Rachel operates the way she does because a lot of it seems extremely unnecessary and more likely to bite her in the ass (the more layers there are, the bigger your file size gets, the risk of drawing on the wrong layer increases as well as the risk of posting a panel that's missing elements because the layer was left turned off by mistake, etc.) And it's more so concerning with how she operates with her assistants because if she's still using this many layers when collaborating with other people, hooo boy. Though based on what I've observed of what her assistants contribute, I get a lot more of the sense that she circumvents this by having the artists do the flats separately and then importing them in as separate assets that she then just imports into the page and places them where they need to be. Still not a great workflow IMO because it's what's led to a lot of the issues of characters "floating" rather than feeling like they're actually in the environment-

-but that's still an issue that could be solved by Rachel just taking more time to actually flesh out the backgrounds and lighting to give more of an impression of the characters actually existing in the space. Like that Hestia panel could easily be fixed by just giving the background a bit more detail and putting actual shading underneath her (and lighting from whatever direction it's coming from).

Either way, regardless of whether or not Rachel's process is productive or not, I hope that breakdown helps explain how we do it in Rekindled! Learning how to manage layers is definitely a skill that can be tricky to harness, but once it "clicks" there's a lot you can get away with. Ultimately how you do it is up to you, but my best piece of advice to offer is to just be open to other types of workflows because you don't know how much you might be shooting yourself in the foot doing things the hard way when there are often way easier and more efficient ways to get the same job done. That's basically the vibe I get from observing Rachel's workflow, it seems like she's still using methods that she thinks are working for her (and probably did work just fine for her when it was JUST her) but could be vastly improved for her and her team if she'd just get over the initial hump of stepping outside of her comfort zone. Would probably make for a better comic too LOL

I hope that helps! Good luck! ( ´ ∀ `)��～ ♡

[reason-with-the-underdog]

haikavetham & childhood finances, pt 1

(analysis of alhaitham's & kaveh's attitudes towards money, with a focus on kaveh since more of his character story is about financial struggles)

Quick note: speaking from US-based pov but imo many things about poverty can be generalised & ofc these are all my hc’s! happy to debate and listen to different viewpoints on this subject~

Lets start with alhaitham!

alhaitham comes from a family with multiple famous scholars (both parents + grandmother), making them at least “middle class”

He also inherited multiple properties + a book collection

He seems to have pretty healthy financial habits:

stable job,

buys household “staples” like alcohol in bulk as a likely cost-saving measure,

enough “financial freedom” to buy ugly furniture and pay Kaveh’s alcohol tab, etc)

so that's alhaitham: he was born comfortable and continues to lead that comfortable life through careful decisions and choices.

now let's move onto kaveh

my overall argument for the arc of kaveh’s financial status is:

Early childhood: middle-class, stable finances

Tween-early teens: asset-rich but not much income, possibly living off dwindling savings, unstable finances

Teen-late 20s: rising wealth (rising young professional, able to save money), stable

Late 20s: bankruptcy & homelessness

Late 20s (immediately post AQ): broke (no assets, high income, high debt), unstable but has alhaitham’s support

none of these should be controversial beyond pt 2, so i'll focus on explaining that stage:

Kaveh’s bg started out similarly (both scholar parents, faranak was a famous architect)

but i argue that his family experienced financial instability and poverty after his father’s apparent abandonment + eventual death

First off, kaveh’s dad left to help aaru village for what seems like at least a few months, during which time it would have been just Faranak & a young kaveh at home

He never even communicated with them, judging by that half-finished letter,

and was considered “missing”

Faranak was a trooper during that time of apparent familial abandonment

bc she only seems to have broken down after his dad died

She couldn’t draw or work on designs, so she stopped working as an architect for some time

quite possible they lived off savings + neighbors’ generosity for at least a little while

the timeline’s unclear for the time in between kaveh’s father’s death, when faranak’s grief subsided enough for her to start working again, and when he entered akademiya...

I think a reasonable reading of this timeline is:

Kaveh’s father dies, faranak quits working

Kaveh enrolls into kshahrewar at “schooling age”

Faranak visits fontaine, gets architecture job offer, & moves abroad (kaveh is “all grown up now & could live independently”)

The sticking points here are how much time passes between points 1 & 2 vs 2 & 3. Which honestly comes down to what “schooling age” means imo

I interpret his chara story as implying faranak’s fontaine travel to be soon after he started attending school (when he has less time with his mother)

It sounds like she only visited once before getting a job offer & wanting to move abroad permanently (aka 2&3 are close together)

Given that at pt 3, kaveh can argue successfully that he’s “grown up” he’s at least a teenager (13+, teyvat is rather loose on how much responsibility teenagers can hold, look at diluc being cavalry captain at 14),

this suggests kaveh entered school as a late tween/young teen

Which pushes the gap between pt 1 & 2!

Because at pt 1 kaveh is referred to as “young” and “child” (also he wanted to play with the diadem as a toy), i think his age at pt 1 (pre-father's death) is around 7-9

So that’s potentially 4-6 or so years between pt 1&2 (kaveh entering school)

We don’t know if faranak gets a job before pt 3...

Lets say that’s worst case scenario. still that's pretty extreme & they must've had significant savings given that kaveh credits her with “raising [him] as a single mother”

and kaveh kept his childhood house until he was an adult

their finances were ok enough to not need to sell the house to stay afloat (altho not being homeless doesn't mean that they didn't struggle in other ways)

There’s room here for a variety of hc’s on how well off faranak & kaveh were during those pre-school years

So here’s where i explain why i strongly believe he experienced financial instability verging on privation (what might be described as “cash poor”, where you have assets but not much money to spend on bills and needs)

I fully admit that this is just headcanon without much canon evidence but in my defense,

kaveh being poor as a kid (& aware of it) explains some of his financial behaviors:

1. His lack of saving / him being very fast to spend his mora

Despite him being a big name architect, he complains that he “can’t seem to hold on to it” “it just disappears..."

many kids who grow up in poverty and later earn more either:

become big savers (never want to go back to being poor again) OR

are huge spenders

think about it... when you owe some million mora to dori.... that 10k mora given to charity is barely a fraction of your monthly payment 🤷.... Might as well do the nice thing and donate it (even if its a scam, more on this attitude later!)

2. Making impulsive financial decisions

kaveh decided to sell every single asset he owned to rebuild the Palace in a single night, which has HUGE repercussions on his entire life

(later on he says he underestimated how hard bankruptcy/homelessness would be, but still. no regrets)

Growing up poor and then dealing with economic uncertainty (ie, the palace’s destruction) is associated with increased impulsivity

3. Not looking for better financial terms

Dori’s interest rates are “somewhat reasonable”

....according to Kaveh, a super unreliable narrator who's quite nice to Dori despite the way she treats him

AND kaveh is already factoring in that he’s a genius famous architect prepared to overwork himself

Personal loan interest rates vary a lot depending on your credit, but it seems like 20% is average, 30% for bad credit

when kaveh says “rates that high” he’s referring to fakhr charging rates higher than 30%

while we dont have a true upper limit, given that kaveh uses 30% as a standard, it could be that dori’s interest rate is around that much, which is rather high considering kaveh didn’t actually have bad credit when he got the palace loan from her.

he already had several years of financial prosperity as a successful architect and had built up “savings” along with his property in terms of assets...

But this is dori so its believable, and kaveh in general doesn’t really seem to think he can get better from her (or in general)

And that type of helplessness when it comes to getting better treatment from financial institutions is common to people who grew up in poverty

Middle class folks might know that they can call the bank to have an overdraft fee reversed, but poor folks often don’t have that option (and even after not being “poor” anymore, they won’t know that they can call and might get the charge taken off)

Another example of kaveh not seeming to think he can protest grotesquely unfair terms at all

(he might have been able to contest the contract, etc... the legal system isnt that well defined in teyvat but still, he gave up with barely a fight instead of exploring his options)

And yes, ik it’s bc he’s more focused on the good the library will do for the children of aaru village...

but i’m trying to paint a larger picture here about behaviors that suggest a history of being financial insecure as a kid

part 2 link here

[dreadfutures]

blue's apparently daily screenshot binge below (PART 1)

and fair warning. i love a texture. like look at the transparency on these glasses:

or like, the subtle embossing on the icons, and how they fill up over time:

i really need to get my DA screenshot server going again. I still have so many.

i think the person crouching is an elven beggar; consistent with Tevinter Nights stuff

does this person have red hair? can't tell if it's a hood instead. also i'm loving the distinct fashions

if you watch, this guy in the bg is JAMMING

is this a qunari hanging out

SORRY THIS IS SO ME... I KNOW THIS POT ASSET I HAVE STARED AT IT SO OFTEN LMFAO

we literally watch the npcs unblock the area by moving this box i find that so nifty

sorry but the veil rifts look so beautiful

these (rage?) demons are very wolf-like... solas, are you at influence ;-;

this was the moment when I felt my heart stop and went "OH. THEY ARE MIRRORING DAI. OH MY GOD."

i was so enamored that i didn't even notice the pride demon here LMFAO

i remember seeing the motion capture for this balancing act back in 2020... i'm so happy to see it and i can't WAIT to see HOW CROWS MOVE?

GUYS IS THERE CLIMBING.

HERO OF THE INQUISITION. HERO. THATS MY GIRL

look at this pot. i'm obsessed.

Rook: "Do you have my stuff?"

Lace: yeh

Rook has the VG symbol and the iconic purple gold already???

I LOVE THE NEW DEMONS. I LOVE THEM. SO MUCH IMAGINATION. buuuut i do miss the particular HORROR of despair's teeth-face.

whoa look at the glass textures

i believe this is different character art for lace. i'm hyped.

EVERYTHING IS BREAKABLE??? OH MY GOD

FROM DAY 1 I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET OVER THE SIGNS.

the venatori got a new look and they're the ones we saw in the tavern brawl companion trailer

i love the magic theyre using to block your way so you can't just sprint by lol... no salty dark souls runbacks huh

YEET

WE ARE STILL TOUCHING RED LYRIUM WITH OUR BARE HANDS.

NEVE BABY DID YOU MAKE A SNOWGLOBE

sliding

SLIDING

tevinter loves its demon statues

[deerspherestudios]

Day 2 Progression Post! 🍄

Hello fireflies! I've listed out the batch of assets I need for the Day 2 update, so I'm listing them here as a ways to keep track but also as a progression bar people can check in on. I'll be linking this post in the pinned one on the blog <3

The script is at a place where I'm quite happy with! I'm in a bit of a drawing slump at the moment though, so I'll be working backwards from SFX, to BGs and etc, saving sprites for last. Anyhoo, here's how things are going:

Progress 1: 100% 🎉

SFX : 13 / 12 ✅

BGM: 8 / 7 ✅

Progress 2: 100% 🎉

Item Art: 4 / 4 ✅

BGs: 10 / 10 ✅

Progress 3: 100% 🎉

CGs: 5 / 5 ✅

Day 1 Sprites : 19 / 19 ✅

Progress 4: 100% 🎉

Day 2 Sprites: 35 / 35 ✅

Progress 5: 100% 🎉

Beta Test: ✅

BGM Credit List: ✅

Cat Pronouns Option: ✅

A lot of these are subject to change; as usual no predictions nor promises on when Day 2 will be out, but I'm working on it! Thank you everyone for the constant love and support!! <3

[crescencestudio]

Devlog #35 | 09.26.23

Hi everyone!

Hope the beginning of Fall has been kind to you all <3 To be Frank, it has not been Kind to me LMFAO. But I'll get into that, so let's dive in yippee!

Before I do, someone liked this post recently, which was such a throwback. It was before the full demo was out and everything!! I was so young and full of life. I'm going to sprinkle some comparison shots of the new assets with the old ones to break up the text and also walk down memory lane with me! (Full GUI not shown as I'm still waiting on the assets)

Chapter Cards (Left: After | Right: Before)

The "Progress"

I'm going to structure this devlog a little differently from the usual template. The main reason being, for those of you who didn't see, I have not been feeling Myself recently.

This month I found myself all out of sorts. While I felt like I was making progress and doing so much everyday read: fighting for my life, when I looked back on things at the end of this month, I didn't feel like I really did much.

On a higher level, I finished fulfilling Kickstarter physical rewards, opened a Kofi shop of the remaining merch, edited Druk's route and continued writing Etza's route, updated assets and code for the updated demo, and then general commission stuff (BGs from Vui, soundtracks from Peter, etc.).

But overall, Alaris felt largely like it was kinda sitting at around the same spot as it did when I entered this month. Which made me a little sad! I had wanted to make So Much Progress on Alaris because next month I won't be able to work on it really. Then, I realized I haven't taken a break from game development since I started it two years ago HA!!!

The Real Progress

Development for me has been back-to-back. Chapter releases every 1-2 months during my first half year of development, Full Demo release shortly after, Kickstarter shortly after, Full Game Development shortly after. When I was feeling burnt out from Alaris, I made intertwine. Then I was Heavily Involved in the development of two games shortly after.

All of this on top of my IRL responsibilities, which include a job, PhD school, and well, functioning as a normal human occasionally.

And then here we are at the end of September 2023, and I'm wondering why even though I creatively want to work on Alaris, I find my brain literally just getting too tired to think.

Etza CG (Left: After | Right: Before)

I think ever since the Kickstarter, I've put a lot of pressure on myself to consistently put out LOTS of updates for each monthly devlog. I don't want people to think I'm not working on things or I'm not committed to delivering after giving me their hard earned money. But now, with two years under my belt, I'm realizing that is... HMM maybe too high of a standard to put on myself for my first game ever. There are many much more seasoned developers than me who don't put that pressure on themselves (which is Good and Healthy).

So this month, I debated scrounging around and gathering all my crumbs to give you all a devlog that you'll be satisfied with. But I decided ultimately that wouldn't be good for me and would honestly not be the most transparent way to present the current process of things.

And so. Here I am. Head in my Hands. Letting you all know that while I'm not "burnt out," I am.... only human LOL (one human at that). And so some months, like this one, will just not have much progress to report. Not because I'm not working on it or any other deeper reason. But because it's physically impossible and unreasonable for me to be continuously pushing out a steady stream of content.

In-Game Sprites & BGs (Left: After | Right: Before)

Next month, I'lll be taking a vacation. It's actually my first Big, Official one in a Long Time! I'm very excited for it. And while I did initially think about working on Alaris while I was traveling on trains or things like that, I decided to respect my own need to be a Human and just take a break for once in my life. I don't even want to say I Might work on things, because that sentiment alone will pressure me to make some progress. So yes. Next month, there will be no devlog or updates. But please rest assured, I am "working on Alaris" by letting myself just Exist and Rest Up!

Not an Alaris screenshot but it is market research that deserves to be included because I played House in Fata Morgana recently and it was Phenomenal!

Thank you all for understanding and your continued support. I'm extremely appreciative to have such a kind and patient community. Hope you all have a wonderful October filled with Fall Treats, and I'll see you in November! <3

[nicohverse]

January Update: Talksprites Completed! Back To Coding!

Hello everybody!

It’s time for the January Update, and this month so far has definitely not been the greatest. On the fourth day of the year, I crashed my car in a parking lot because I pushed my limits too far work-wise, and I’ve had to spend a lot of time since then dealing with it. It’s pretty much sorted out now, but it’s been very stressful.

But even with that big complication in my daily life, I have some notable dev updates to share!

The talksprites are complete! You heard me- Every talksprite that I had planned now exists, and if any more end up needing to be drawn, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. But the 77 sprites are here! That represents 5 unique talksprites for each main character and 3 for each notable side character. I actually finished drawing these before 2025 began~

So, what have I been up to since the year started, besides dealing with my personal life? A whole lot, actually!

I haven’t tackled any further visual assets since completing the talksprites, but I’ve been very busy. With every talksprite available to me, I’m finally able to write with clarity- That’s taken the form of about 10,000 words more than were included in the demo, just for a start! And those 10,000 words just come from flights of fancy, moments where I felt immediately inspired to fill in the contents of functional code. Because functional code is most of what I’ve added!

Why did I need the talksprites done before approaching these code frameworks fully…? Well, I’m not exactly sure, but it definitely has been helping. The randomization process and the ally system are both fully coded in now! That’s right, we’ve broken out of the demo’s focus on Loop One. It’s now entirely possible to bring a friend along with you, die, then get a different friend! And everybody else in Area 1 will acknowledge the friend, too~

I have decided to slightly postpone upgrading from monthly updates to biweekly ones until after February, mainly because February is a short month in which I will be spending very little time in my own home, and I need to spend a portion of it stepping off to the side to work on my other main artistic venture- I have commissions to complete and some designs to finalize over in the Fan Niche. That’s my online shop, if you didn’t know, and you can buy Entropic Float merch there among plenty of other things!

Basically, I don’t expect to have enough done at two separate points of February to warrant updating- I’ll just update around the 20th again. But March? March will bring updates on the 8th and on the 22nd! And in the meantime, it isn’t like I expect to get nothing done in February overall. Here’s the goals I’ve got for the month ahead!

Find the notebook where I wrote down location flowcharts. I somehow lost this in my apartment somewhere. I need to know the order of things!

^ Sketch the remaining BGs needed for Area 2, once I know exactly what I planned for those to be.

Implement Area 1’s Pizzeria Minigame - This is the first place The Possum will appear~

Add a GUI element showing which allies are currently recruited.

Let’s see how that goes! I’ll keep you posted. As usual, you can find more frequent updates in the discord server, and thank you for reading!

[neovanesa]

Saw someone on the Grundo's Cafe Discord use custom site CSS to recreate the Altador theme for themselves and I thought I would take a stab at recreating it for myself too.

It isn't perfectly aligned in some parts (i.e. the header) but I'm pretty happy! This is overriding the Pride Theme, which has 11 sidebar bottom images. The original Altador sidebar theme has 12 rotating sidebar images, so I went from 1-11, which sadly doesn't include King Altador.

I used mostly Neopets assets themselves except for the sidebar, which I had to recreate in GC style and upload to Imgur. Some of the icons I decided to borrow from the Altador Cup theme instead.

(I also have a Restock Timer userscript which probably affects how well I aligned everything.)

You can get the CSS at this Pastebin link or under the cut:

/* Replace header & sidebar navigation */

#sb_top, .sb_top {

    background-image: url(https://images.neopets.com/t/acp/hdr.gif) !important;

}

#sb_createpet, #sb_petcentral, #sb_explore, #sb_games, #sb_neomail, #sb_shops, #sb_boards, #sb_news, #sb_stuff, #sb_help, #sb_login, #sb_logout {

    background-image: url(https://i.imgur.com/VcAqArr.png) !important;

    width: 130px !important;

}

#sb_side {

    background-image: url(https://images.neopets.com/t/acp/ms.gif);

    background-position: 0 426px;

    width: 130px !important;

}

/* Sidebar colours */

.nst {

    background-color: #ECA0DE !important;

}

/* Change user info text */

#userinfo {

    color: #fff !important;

}

#userinfo a {

    color: #92A5D4 !important;

}

/* All-in-one sidebar */

#aio_sidebar > div {

    background-image: url(https://images.neopets.com/themes/h5/constellations/images/bg-pattern.png) !important;

    color: #646893 !important;

}

#aio_sidebar a {

    color: #646893 !important;

    text-shadow: 0 0 8px #290E42 !important;

}

#aio_sidebar a:hover {

    color: #fff !important;

}

/* Sidebar hover */

#sb_createpet:hover {

    background-position: 130px 0px !important;

}

#sb_petcentral:hover {

    background-position: 130px -53px !important;

}

#sb_explore:hover {

    background-position: 130px -106px !important;

}

#sb_games:hover {

    background-position: 130px -138px !important;

}

#sb_neomail:hover {

    background-position: 130px -170px !important;

}

#sb_shops:hover {

    background-position: 130px -202px !important;

}

#sb_boards:hover {

    background-position: 130px -234px !important;

}

#sb_news:hover {

    background-position: 130px -266px !important;

}

#sb_stuff:hover {

    background-position: 130px -300px !important;

}

#sb_help:hover {

    background-position: 130px -334px !important;

}

#sb_login:hover {

    background-position: 130px -369px !important;

}

#sb_logout:hover {

    background-position: 130px -399px !important;

}

/* Sidebar bottom images */

#sb_edge.bottom_1 {

    background-image: url("https://images.neopets.com/t/acp/1.gif") !important;

}

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[tttopoftheworld]

So the new stupendium song about the theorist channels has MV made by editor Ty of the theorists. And ho boy there's so many Easter eggs bro makes it look like it's April.

Here are the ones I could find purely by looking.

1) Count Bleck reference from the Luigi Brainwashed ep

I won't lie I didn't not expect to see him so when I saw this man in literally the first 30 seconds of this vid I knew I was gonna be busy going frame by frame on each part of the vid

2) Allay, Bees, Pigs, An Enderman and An Illager From the Minecraft Lore series

This one was kinda obvious but I liked it regardless but I can't remember the significance of bees here for some reason

3) The Bendy Posters + Stupendium reference

There's a bendy, Boris and Alice angel poster and I think they're signalling to the first ever bendy theory but I don't really know. Also in a blink and you'll miss it moment there's a frame before the jumpscare where the film playing changes into the words "stupendously stupid" which I really like ngl.

4) Garten Of BanBan Missing Chapter Theory + Editing Dungeon mention

In the lyrics stupendium mentions about missing pieces and in the visuals it refers to the fifth chapter of Garten Of BanBan in which the sixth chapter is advertised as the next part rather than the fifth. Also I love the little insult to BanBan as a series purely made to sell merch like girl- And I absolutely love this Easter Egg so much omg it's the editing dungeon!!!! The editors being called dungeon dwellers with Head D̶u̶n̶g̶e̶o̶n̶ ̶D̶w̶e̶l̶l̶e̶r̶ Editor Dan in red with 2 Asset Allies and THE ALL POWERFUL WAVEFORM WIZARD YOSI. Also the console is the ts4 which is peak .

5) Stupendium solving the Tom Nook Theory in the background

I don't have anything to say other than it's very cute.

6) THE MEMESSS

The creators of Hello Neighbor constantly tagging matpat, Matpat react, I KILLED THEM?ooc, THERE'S A PHONY BETWIXT YALL, pimp!pat, THEORY THEORY, #BLAMEJASON, every child is the crying child and whatever that pic is.

7) Stupendium as a GT Thumbnail

8) Sonic's Speed

The antithesis to Mario's height.

9) Frogger Dissection with cute mysteries in the bg

First off, The Super Mario Maker is infinite theory on the whiteboard. Mr. Tomato on the shelf alongside with a maxim tomato from the time they tried to theorize Kirby

And I'll have to end here rn cuz there's a ten images per post limit on Tumblr

[celestialcrownsvn]

Update 1/12

Hello all! I have been working on giving the first three chapters of Celestial Crowns those final touches that will make it a game you want to play over and over! Here is my changelog for the tweaks I made yesterday:

added 15 new SFX

added existing SFX in places where it made sense to 

added additional art assets to ballroom scene 

added camera animations throughout first 3 chapters 

created chapter cards for first 3 chapters

implemented new skin tones in Sahi CG 

added voice lines where needed 

fixed bug where camera was not working properly when skipping 

updated textbox updated popup for increased stats 

updated save/load screen bg 

updated preferences screen bg 

added additional text effects in some places 

added new theme song added new sad song 

added new romance song

changed music on character select screen 

adjusted button size for title buttons to ensure the hitbox was working properly 

adjusted text size of save file names so they fit under the screenshots

Here are a few screenshots!

Anyway, that's just what I've been up to! Check out the updates from the rest of the team:

Backgrounds

Stef has been hard at work on new backgrounds! Check out this field bg:

This is the next background I need for programming the rest of the game, so it allows me to move forward with polishing the routes while I wait for tester feedback!

Music

The OST is just about complete! I am just waiting on one more song from the composers.  The music in-game will be fleshed out with additional free and purchased songs. 

Voice Acting

I am sending out the new scripts for the VAs! This will include a few more voice barks, as well as about 20 full lines from their route. I made it so there's just about one fully voiced line per scene.

Conclusion and Coming Next

I'm really happy with how everything's gone so far! I've had a lot of fun adding polish to the game and I can't wait to start on the routes. It really looks and feels more like a completed game now! 

I will be traveling from 1/18 through the end of February, so posting will be on hold. However, the artists will still be working on their stuff, and the voice actors will be recording! Looking forward to updating you guys again! 

[just-write-studios]

Catalyst: Blind Faith is a visual novel set in an apocalyptic world where a strange phenomenon turns mankind into demons.

❤️‍🩹Shape the fate of a troubled young priest. 🙏Channel the power of the Gods. 🩸Seek a cure.

The new update is HERE and I am SO excited to share with you all!!!

Before playing, select "NEW GAME" from the main menu. This will ensure you encounter no bugs during this major update!

Huge, exhaustive devlog under the cut!!!! I hope you enjoy!

The following is an exhaustive devlog regarding all of the changes and updates made to the current demo version. It is available for you all on the download page. I am so proud to share this with you all and hope you enjoy!!!!

MAIN MENU

New main menu - New game, first playthrough, and saves unlock variants

Ending achievements redesigned

JOURNAL

Holy symbol redesigned

Journal redesigned (WIP paintover)

Bookmarks for all pages are interactable to flip to that section of the journal

Bookmarks flip from left to right to indicate where you are

UI

New textbox - Default, Flesh, Agriculture variants

New default font

New CTC icon - Default, Mercy, Flesh, Agriculture, Time variants

New cursor - Idle and Hover

New quick menu - Default and saves unlocked variants

Quick Menu toggle - Always or hover

Textbox opacity slider

Choice menus - default and several custom screens

New, clear indicator of choices made previously, turns red on hover.

New history menu

New death screen

All options screens redesigned - Default options, specific sound toggle, controls, and gallery

Chapter Titles - Colors, appearance, and quality quality updated - also now has a full stop so it's easier to read

High contrast outlines on all text at all times for legibility

NVL Mode!!! (In addition to the ADV mode used primarily throughout the game)

SPLASH AND WARNING SCREENS

New photosensitivity screen

New autosave screen

New content warning screen

UNLOCKABLE SAVE SYSTEM

Variable to track first completion of the game

New screen to explain save mechanic unlocking

New quick menu once saves unlocked

Custom save/Load screen accessible from quick menu

Custom load screen accessible from main menu

ART

FINAL ASSETS

Pontos (First BG) - Four color variants

Crowd in Prologue - Two color variants, one pose variant

CONCEPTS or WIP

Richard - Protagonist character concept art

Orgoth - Supporting character concept art (default + color variant)

Malimos - Demon concept art CG

Centipede Demon - Demon concept art CG

Enchanted Stairs - WIP BG (default + color variant)

Holy symbol - Item concept art

Bloody handprints - Item concept art

Buttons during Time travel - UI concept art

ALL OTHER VISUALS ARE PLACEHOLDERS, SUBJECT TO CHANGE

AUDIO

SFX added upon clicking on the choice menus

SFX changed when clicking through the Journal

SFX shortened for Ray, your best pal

SFX added for a burning building scene

WRITING

Several new contingencies added for time travel

Minor adjustments and additional descriptions throughout for clarity!

ANIMATONS

Timelapse - Transitions begin at the end of the prologue, leading into a brand new scene

Skip and pause buttons programmed in the timelapse for accessibility

Softly flashing light on quick menu during Gods monologue in Chapter 1 to point out  the journal

Time travel - Variant scenes dependent on if transitions are on/off, or if flashing lights are on/off

Endings - Each of the 8 endings has a custom series of screens

Credits - Brand new, animated sequence accessible from the options menu and at the end of each playthrough

Socials - All of our socials are available at the end of each playthrough. Kickstarter and Steam coming soon! 

Whew!! It's a lot, right? We're all working exceptionally hard to bring the final assets to you all. In the coming months I'll be sharing my progress on our socials, and strive to bring the completed demo to you all in 2024!

Please share your support on itch.io if you have fun, by leaving a positive comment or a 5-star rating!

Thank you all so much for your time and enthusiasm. I'll be sharing more updates with you all soon!

[artistotel]

as someone working on a webcomic can i also give this advice on cutting corners: learn some 3d and make bgs and interiors and stuff in it. tbh this isnt advice so you can SKIP learning perspective, if you dont know how to draw perspective and interiors on your own you wont even be able to successfully implement the 3d aid, but eventually you will have to draw 50 panels in like one room and keeping track of where the hell is what is rly fuckin annoying

1) u can find buncha free 3d assets online and just put it into blender and nyoom w camera thru them

2) you can take screenshots and then use them as simple references for perspective, dont even gotta model em, just put some placeholder cubes around

3) there actually are ways and techniques to take that 3d photo and get lines from it, so you dont even gotta draw em every time (just google 3d webtoon background im not an expert on this)

this obv depends on what you need, if youre working on a more polished comic (im a hired artist on this specific comic) its great for cutting corners, but for example on my underground and experimental art i dont tend to use this bc i like things being out of perspective n weird

my cartooning advice: -your first foray into graphic storytelling should not be that 900 page epic youve been working on since you were 12 -use whatever crappy art software you have -dont make every panel an illustration -cut more corners -no, more than that -no, more than that -a badly made comic will eventually become good but a never-made comic will never become good

[scc-developers]

Residential Plots in RR Nagar Bangalore: Shaping the Future of Urban Living

In Bangalore’s ever-changing real estate landscape, residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore are becoming a preferred choice for homebuyers and investors. Rajarajeshwari Nagar, fondly known as RR Nagar, offers a perfect blend of nature, modern infrastructure, and peaceful living—making it one of the city’s most sought-after residential areas.

Why Residential Plots in RR Nagar Bangalore Are Gaining Popularity

RR Nagar is located in the southwest zone of Bangalore, known for its clean surroundings, wide roads, and calm atmosphere. With increasing infrastructure development and improved connectivity, residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore are attracting everyone from first-time buyers to seasoned investors.

Key Reasons to Invest in Residential Plots in RR Nagar Bangalore

1. Modern Infrastructure and Connectivity

RR Nagar offers excellent connectivity to Mysore Road, NICE Road, and popular Bangalore localities like Banashankari, Kengeri, and Jayanagar. The extension of the Namma Metro network enhances its accessibility, making residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore perfect for professionals and daily commuters.

2. Lush Green Environment and Open Spaces

Unlike congested parts of the city, RR Nagar boasts ample greenery, serene parks, and clean air. Buying residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore allows you to build spacious, eco-friendly homes surrounded by nature—something that’s increasingly rare in urban Bangalore.

3. Design Freedom and Personalization

One of the biggest advantages of owning residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore is the freedom to design your own home. Whether it’s a sleek modern villa, a traditional duplex, or an energy-efficient smart home, you get to shape your living space exactly the way you want.

4. Close to Top Educational and Healthcare Institutions

RR Nagar is home to reputed educational institutions like:

RNS Institute of Technology

JSS Academy of Technical Education

Global Academy of Technology

It also offers top-class healthcare with hospitals such as:

BGS Global Hospital

SSNMC Super Specialty Hospital

This makes residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore ideal for families who value access to quality education and healthcare.

5. Promising Investment with High Returns

The area’s strategic location and rapid urban development have led to a steady increase in property values. Investors are finding residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore to be a smart financial move with excellent long-term returns and rental potential.

Who Should Consider Residential Plots in RR Nagar Bangalore?

Young families looking for a safe, connected neighborhood near schools and parks

Investors seeking appreciating assets in a growing suburb

Retirees who want a calm, green environment with essential services nearby

First-time buyers who want to build custom homes without the restrictions of apartments

SCC Developers: Your Trusted Partner for Residential Plots in RR Nagar Bangalore

At SCC Developers, we offer well-planned, legally compliant residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore that come with top-notch amenities like:

Gated communities

Landscaped parks

Paved roads and street lighting

Drainage and water supply systems

24/7 security

We ensure every plot we offer is ready for construction and located in high-potential areas—perfect for both end-users and investors.

Final Thoughts

As Bangalore continues to expand, residential plots in RR Nagar Bangalore offer a unique opportunity to own land in a peaceful, green, and fast-developing part of the city. Whether you’re planning to build your forever home or make a wise investment, RR Nagar stands out as a smart and sustainable choice.

[harbourfronttechnologies]

The Bitcoin-Gold Ratio as a Predictor of Stock Market Returns

The Bitcoin-Gold Ratio as a Predictor of Stock Market Returns The ratio of gold prices to other asset classes has been shown to be a useful predictor of stock market returns. We previously discussed how the gold-oil ratio serves as one such indicator. Continuing this line of inquiry, Reference [1] examines the informational value of the Bitcoin-gold (BG) price ratio. The logic behind this metric is that Bitcoin represents a high-risk asset, whereas gold is traditionally viewed as a safe haven. Therefore, a rising BG ratio may signal increased investor risk appetite. It may also reflect growing optimism and interest in technological innovation, which boosts demand for Bitcoin. As a result, a higher BG ratio can indicate a tech-driven risk appetite that translates into stronger stock returns. The authors pointed out, …we show that the BG ratio has a positive effect on U.S. stock market returns across various market conditions during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic periods. This result holds with the inclusion of various financial and economic control variables. Our main result is robust to the use of Ethereum instead of Bitcoin, underlining the impact of the cryptocurrency-to-gold ratio on stock market returns. It generally holds when considering the European stock market, suggesting the impact of BG and EG ratios is not limited to the U.S. stock market. We further show that the positive impact of the BG ratio on stock returns stems from the channel of risk aversion. Thus, the changes in the BG ratio manifest risk aversion or, in other words, risk appetite, which is new to the related literature and draws important implications for investors and policy-makers. Changes in the BG ratio can serve as a potential indicator of risk appetite in both Europe and the U.S. Thus, investors could consider incorporating this metric into their portfolio strategies to adjust their exposure to equities under different market conditions… In summary, the authors show that the Bitcoin-gold ratio is positively correlated with U.S. stock market returns. Let us know what you think in the comments below or in the discussion forum. References [1] Elie Bouri, Ender Demir, Bitcoin-to-gold ratio and stock market returns, Finance Research Letters (2025) 107456 Post Source Here: The Bitcoin-Gold Ratio as a Predictor of Stock Market Returns via Harbourfront Technologies - Feed https://ift.tt/M3LFdk1 May 03, 2025 at 06:23PM

[bg678game6]

BG 678 Game: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering and Winning

The BG 678 Game has captured the attention of gaming enthusiasts worldwide with its unique combination of strategy, excitement, and fast-paced action. In this comprehensive guide, we provide everything players need to dominate the game and consistently achieve victory. From expert strategies to deep gameplay analysis, we cover every essential aspect to ensure a competitive edge.

What is the BG 678 Game?

BG 678 Game is an innovative online multiplayer game that blends elements of strategic planning, quick decision-making, and tactical execution. Players must outwit opponents, master various levels, and adapt to changing game environments to succeed. Its growing popularity is fueled by its dynamic gameplay, rewarding progression system, and engaging community.

Understanding the Core Mechanics of BG 678 Game

Success in the BG 678 Game hinges on thoroughly understanding its core mechanics. Players must grasp:

Resource Management: Efficiently collecting, managing, and utilizing in-game resources is crucial.

Character Skills: Each character possesses unique abilities; knowing when and how to deploy them makes a significant difference.

Map Awareness: Familiarity with the game's terrains and strategic points offers a competitive advantage.

Team Dynamics: In team modes, seamless collaboration and communication lead to consistent victories.

Mastering these fundamentals is the first step toward becoming a top-tier player.

Top Strategies to Win in BG 678 Game

1. Prioritize Resource Acquisition

The foundation of a strong early game lies in securing key resources. Whether it's acquiring currency, energy boosts, or power-ups, controlling these assets creates momentum. Early dominance often translates into later game success.

2. Optimize Character Selection

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each character is vital. Create a balanced team by combining characters that complement each other’s abilities, ensuring both offense and defense are covered. Versatility is key to adapting to opponents’ tactics.

3. Master the Art of Timing

Every move in the BG 678 Game must be meticulously timed. Whether launching an attack, defending a critical zone, or retreating to regroup, perfect timing can turn the tide of battle.

4. Enhance Team Communication

In team-based gameplay, communication is non-negotiable. Use quick signals or in-game voice features to relay enemy positions, call for support, or execute complex strategies. Coordination often outperforms individual skills.

5. Constantly Adapt Your Strategy

Static strategies are easy to counter. Stay unpredictable by changing tactics based on your opponents' behavior. Dynamic gameplay ensures you stay one step ahead.

Advanced Tips for BG 678 Game Experts

Leverage Environmental Advantages

Use the environment to your advantage. High ground offers better visibility; tight spaces favor close-combat specialists. Understanding how to manipulate the surroundings can grant a decisive edge.

Maximize Power-Ups Effectively

Rather than hoarding power-ups, deploy them strategically to shift momentum in your favor during critical moments. Knowing when to unleash these boosts can differentiate between victory and defeat.

Study Top Players

Observing the tactics of elite players provides invaluable insights. Notice their positioning, resource management, and how they respond under pressure. Apply these lessons to refine your playstyle.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in BG 678 Game

Overextending: Pursuing opponents without backup often leads to ambushes.

Neglecting Defense: A solid defense is as crucial as a powerful offense.

Poor Resource Management: Wasting resources early can cripple mid and late-game performance.

Ignoring Team Dynamics: Individual glory should never outweigh team success.

Learning from these common errors accelerates the journey to mastery.

Best Characters in BG 678 Game

Choosing the right characters can dramatically impact your win rate. Top-tier picks include:

Shadowblade: Exceptional for stealth attacks and rapid eliminations.

Titanus: A defensive powerhouse capable of anchoring team efforts.

Aurora: Specialist in crowd control with area-of-effect abilities.

Boltstrike: Speed-focused character ideal for fast attacks and retreats.

Balancing the team composition with these characters boosts synergy and overall effectiveness.

Why BG 678 Game is a Must-Play for Gamers

BG 678 Game delivers an unparalleled gaming experience through its:

Strategic Depth: Every match is a mental chess game requiring foresight and quick thinking.

Rewarding Progression: Meaningful rewards encourage continual improvement and engagement.

Community and Competitions: Tournaments and leaderboards add extra excitement and prestige.

Gamers seeking a challenge that tests both their strategic mind and mechanical skills find BG 678 Game irresistible.

How to Improve Rapidly in BG 678 Game

Daily Practice: Consistent gameplay hones reflexes and decision-making.

Watch Replays: Analyze your matches to identify strengths and weaknesses.

Participate in Community Events: These offer a platform to test new strategies against varied opponents.

Stay Updated: Developers frequently update the game; staying informed ensures you can adapt quickly.

The Future of BG 678 Game

With frequent updates, expanding character rosters, and the introduction of new maps and modes, the future of the BG 678 Game looks bright. Developers show a strong commitment to maintaining player engagement through seasonal events, new challenges, and community-driven content.

As eSports continues to grow, BG 678 Game is well-positioned to carve out a significant niche, offering thrilling tournaments and competitive leagues.