#i would just call this a hyperfixation but its...bigger than that

[saaski]

the autistic experience of your trauma becoming a special interest against your will

[mxbo]

So what are the stamps and user boxes actually used for other than just being silly and cute

IS THIS MY CHANCE TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE TO THE CULTURE OF THE OLD WEB AND PROFILE CUSTOMIZATION!?!?!?!?

OK, so other than being cute and silly their purpose is to uh… be um… cute and silly decoratio- who wrote this script?? Whoever did is horrible at its job, like yeah it's right but- let me just sugarcoat it a bit mor-

WHAT ARE USERBOXES

“Userboxes are boxes containing a little bit of information about someone! They originated from wikipedia and were meant to be put on people’s user pages, but here people either choose to reblog those that apply to them or put them on their about pages (or both!)”

—Definition stolen borrowed from Userboxed's FAQ

So, basically, Wikipedia had this little thing where NERDS would code* boxes of information and people said “HEY, THAT'S SO COOL WHY DO ONLY THE SMART PEOPLE HAVE THOSE” and said “IMMA MAKE MY OWN, SCREENSHOT IT AND PUT IT ON MY WEBSITE/PROFILE/PINNED POST”

*Zzz boring code (I have a website myself, I'm allowed to call it boring)

WHY I LOVE USERBOXES

✦ Most people won't read your pinned post in its totality, but will read the userboxes. ✦ They're colorful, have one or two sentences max per userbox and have an image on the side, so it catches people's attention more than just plain text. ✦ They get their point across: your personality, interests, sometimes aesthetics… ✦ MAKING YOUR OWN IS SUPER EASY!!

The standard size is 239px × 49px, but bigger/high quality userboxes can be found, always following that ratio, of course.

WHAT ARE STAMPS

Basically, just images/GIFs with a border resembling a real life stamp. These are called static or animated stamps, AND I'M IN LOVE WITH THE LATTER TYPE. I believe they come from Deviantart and serve a similar purpose to userboxes: decorating your profile.

WHY I LOVE STAMPS

✦ Collecting them is super fun!! It reminds you of which parts of the internet you have visited. ✦ Groups of stamps look super cool together. ✦ That thing about getting your point across but without text and writing AESTHETIC in bold red underlined text.

The standard size is 99px × 56px, but bigger/high quality stamps can be found, always following that ratio, of course.

BUT WHERE DO YOU PLACE THEM !?

You can have a couple on your profiles (Spacehey), pinned posts (Tumblr)… But where people COLLECT THEM is in

A CORNER ON YOUR OWN WEBSITE / NEOCITIES

EXAMPLES OF COOL NEOCITIES THAT WITH COOL STAMPS/COLLECTIONS

✦ Shishka ✦ Cinni ✦ Oddity Commoddity ✦ Ko's Crag! ✦ Cloud Cover ✦ Echo's Graphics ✦ silly zone ✦ Mad Paddington ✦ My own website lmao

THIS IS YOUR CALL TO MAKE YOUR OWN NEOCITIES !!

(Because it's my hyperfixation, topped only by TF2, and I MUST share it with the world) (I already convinced my light to make a neocities, YOU ARE NEXT.)

CONCLUSION

TL;DR: They're silly and cute BUT, they're also nostalgic and an important part of internet culture

I also recommend watching the next videos just because (you won't understand userboxes or stamps any better, but the culture around it)

✦ Whatever Happened to Profile Customization? ✦ Old Websites Were Cooler, Actually

I hope you found my explanation/yapping interesting and also answered your question (if you can find your answer, there's so much filler, god) HEHE

[beatlesbookblog]

Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s by Tom Doyle

So when I first got back into my Beatles hyperfixation, the first thing I did was learn all about Paul and the history of Wings. Which is strange because when I was a fan of the Beatles the first time around, I didn't like anything of Paul's but I guess that's what growing up does to a person lol. While, I became more aware of the band's history through the documentary that Paul did with his daughter Mary, Wingspan, I wanted to know more. So I did what any person would do - I went to the public library. There, I found this book.

Tom Doyle is a music journalist and explains in his intro that this book was spurred from multiple interviews he did with Paul himself. Mixing quotes, anecdotes, and the history of Wings chronicled through their albums, Doyle makes a narrative that is similar to what Paul did with Wingspan. Yet, Doyle's story has a little bit more of the nitty gritty stuff. The stuff that Paul would have left on the cutting room floor.

Though I wouldn't call this a definitive history of Wings, I would definitely say this a good source to anyone who is interested with the band. Doyle goes right to the source, using quotes from many of the people involved as sources for this book. I think because of this, it gives this book some credibility! Using the perspectives of other band mates plus even using Paul's relationship with John during the 70s as a storytelling device helps to create a bigger picture of Paul's career with Wings.

I also found the actual prose and writing style of the book to be fairly entertaining, but I believe that could be Doyle's background as a journalist. He does weave an interesting story that shows not only Paul's vision for the band throughout the 70s as well as Paul budding as an artist after the Beatles, but Doyle uses snippets from the other members who were around when the book was published which adds different perspectives. Wingspan does not offer the complete other perspectives. There are some audio snippets here and there, but it solely focuses on Paul's reflections and memories. Not to say Paul would intentionally leave things out, but there were stories in this book that probably would have been left aside when giving the full narrative of the band.

Again, while the book is good, do not consider this a final source of everything Wings. I relate this book to Wingspan as it gives a similar vibe in its way of telling the version of events. I do think using interviews and quotes from other people involved does give it slightly more credibility than Wingspan, as that was just Paul conversing with Mary while telling the story of Wings. The different perspectives does make a difference when documenting the history of the band, and it makes a good pair to Wingspan (though, I know there's a Wingspan book, I haven't read that yet). Consider this your stepping stone into Wings and maybe by reading this book you'd come to appreciate the band just a little bit more!

------

Rating ⭐: 8.5/10. It's a good book if you want to know the contextualized history of Wings and want a launch pad to research more about the band as well as Paul's career in the 70s.

Further Reading (and watching + listening) 📖🎧: This podcast episode with Tom Doyle talking about the book, watch Wingspan (I think there's a free version on YouTube), and probably read the book as well! Also keep an eye out for this documentary in the future, though I'm not sure if Doyle is working with the documentary or not.

[thecoffeelorian]

The Anomaly Series, Chapter 6: The Sandal Menace (Jod Na Nawood x Reader)

A/N: This chapter was one of the most difficult ones I've ever written...yet now that it's here, I hope it gets the same amount of consideration as all the ones that came before.

Chapter Title: The Sandal Menace

Genre: Drama/Romance.

Word Count: 1,566.

AO3: Click Here!

Master List: Click Here!

CW: None

Special Notes: Apologies for the lateness, but I wanted this to look somewhat neater and more organized than how it began. Thank you all for your patience.

No Pressure Tags:

@hanniebvnnie @choochoo284 @gun-roswell @kazunish @lokigirlszendaya

@xbeyondthegatex @robin-hyperfixates @braveincafleet @chenoa-devyn-blog @tealsage7

@brookeandherfandoms @shirley-girly @trinsghost @inastarlesssky @lulalovez and anyone else still willing to continue reading this slow-burn tale.

This wasn’t how you wished to spend the last hours of your shift, or so you think to yourself as you follow your boss down the dimly lit staircase, your ultimate destination being the small detention center waiting at the bottom. Normally, neither you nor Fara would set foot in a place like this, as interrogations of lesser importance would be relegated to other junior staff.

Of all the days that Nooma could have “argued” her way into the holding cells, however, it seems that she’s unfortunately chosen today.

The preliminary reports have made that clear early on, for right before the alarm was raised, Nol had tricked the entrance gate into turning itself off while his wife slipped in, then proceeded through a few side corridors before allowing herself to be caught by two of the top-level security droids.

Out of the ordinary for her, all right, and an extra bureaucratic complication for the two of you.

And if this wasn’t considered strange enough for the family, as neither the parents nor their extended family has any history of going against the law, let alone ever showing any criminal tendencies—her behavior demonstrated once you and the Undersecretary show up certainly wins the award for “Most Confusing”.

In this particular case, it's first demonstrated by a rhythmic slap-slapping sound in a distant part of the hallway, a sound that grows slightly in volume as the two of you draw closer. Almost like there's a hard object being smacked against something a little softer, similar to baseballs against catchers' mitts or the clapping of erasers against an outside wall to rid them of unwanted dust.

It's not until you turn the corner, however, that you're able to get a better fix on the situation slowly unfolding before you. In one of the holding cells a short distance away, Nooma’s sitting comfortably upon the bench as though it's a living room couch, though not without smacking the business end of her left sandal against the palm of her right hand and her eyes fixed upon the person on the other side of the room.

Today, she’s come down here to deal with ‘Jodwick’, or as you’ve come to call him, ‘Jack’.

“Good morning, Undersecretary!”

Weapon or no weapon, she’s still polite as ever, almost as though this is nothing bigger than a chance meeting at the annual summer picnic, and you’re all in a corner chatting over hot dogs and potato salad. This just makes her presence here all the stranger.

“I’m sorry for all the chaos, but I’m afraid I just had to be here.”

Indeed, it would now appear that the three of you are eyeing that sandal as though it were some new form of live explosive, for there’s no way of knowing exactly when it might go off.

What might its objective be, if such things are as battle ready as they seem?

What is its ultimate target?

How fast will it attack if either one of you should turn your backs and expose your own weak points?

Perhaps keeping one eye open will be the smartest counterstrategy here, at least while you stand within these walls. After all, there’s just no telling with these inanimate objects.

“All right…and what is the purpose of your—ah, surprise visit today?”

“Oh, it’s actually kind of simple, ma’am—I’m wondering why that man over there is suddenly among us.”

“ ‘That man’…is she asking you the question, or was it meant for me?”

Despite the horrors dangling over your heads, however, Jod’s soon inching into the conversation like he’s suddenly ten feet tall and blaster-proof, for he speaks of this lack of communication as though it’s some sort of game. A joke between friends, even, if you’re understanding his tone and wording correctly.

“Oh, I’m afraid that depends—are you willing to answer?”

Nooma obviously isn’t in the mood to play around, though. Underneath that careful customer service attitude, you can almost be certain that she’s primed and ready to send that sandal flying straight for Jod’s head.

“Well, I know that I’ve nowhere else to be, so…”

Then again, he doesn’t seem all that afraid of her to begin with, so he’s not thinking twice about answering her questions.

“…I confess: I’ve come here to seek refuge against some ex-business partners.”

“ ‘Business’?”

“Call it an opportunity gone wrong.”

So far, anyway.

“And so—what then, is your life in danger?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Hm…I suppose that’s also why Neel came home with a knife? Because it was just so dangerous up there?”

“I take it you’re his mum, then?”

You and Fara share a quick look of wariness while the other people/beings in this room aren’t looking, though your understanding of such an expression is still rather foggy. Either it’s a sign from your boss that reads, ‘Just what in the world is he thinking, giving weapons out willy-nilly to linderlings’, or else it’s more of an indication towards ‘What is this, a battle of parenting styles’.

“I am.”

“All right…then what would you say if I told you, we had to fight to reach the shuttle and so armed ourselves along the way?”

As for you, that little note about ‘business gone wrong’ is going to be the first thing you inquire after during your next chat session with him.

“Well, I—I think I’d need some more information, I’m afraid. Why would they come after you?”

And as far as Nooma is concerned, that future flying weapon of doom has miraculously fallen silent and still. Maybe this stranger of yours just has that effect upon people, for you're noticing something other than the protective instinct slowly coming out in her posture. Something very close to concern, perhaps, and all in spite of the fact that they know next to nothing about the other.

"The same reason they'd go after any other person with children," 'Jodwick' answers, sighing out loud with just a hint of the dramatic.

"Cheap labor.”

"How AWFUL!"

"Oh, it certainly was...but don't you worry, my dear woman, don't worry yourself at all. They've all come home thanks to me, and to Mustafar with anyone who tried to stop us.”

"Of course, sir, of course…thank you so much!”

"All right, everyone...Nooma, if I may..."

It's here that Madam Undersecretary sees it fit to intrude, if only to get a known innocent from playing with the wrong side of the law as a future bad habit.

"...I think it's time we released you, no charges attached.”

"Oh, would you—er, I mean yes. Yes indeed. Thank you, ma'am."

"And we won't see each other for the wrong reasons…correct?”

There's a small look of understanding between them now, a sure sign of no further investigations on Nooma's part if you ever saw one. She's careful to nod her assent while putting the rogue sandal back on, and in return, that's one less weapon of singular destruction that you have to worry about.

"Not at all."

“And, ah…what about me, Miss Undersecretary?”

In the meantime, your "Mr. Jodwick" decides to take his chances and put himself out there as well, even if just to liven up the boredom of his own detention.

"When I return to get your official statement, I'll put it under consideration," Fara replies before turning towards the control panel that governs Nooma's cell.

"Now, let's not waste any more time here, shall we?"

You and your stranger finally share a fleeting look before you step back out, and right before he manages a lopsided grin, he's raising his index finger as though to point at the ceiling. A ceiling that doesn't display much of anything save for a few cracks and exactly two large water spots, as it's long been in need of either repairs or replacement.

At the same time, perhaps the two of you are glad to share whatever moments are granted to you in the middle of all this Work, for you don’t take very long to smile right back. Just a little something to help keep that one going, maybe, as well as a reminder to you to not forget the task you’ve been assigned behind the scenes.

However...once you're out of that room and heading back above ground, you soon realize the true message of what he wishes to tell you.

This was Day Number One of his detainment, as well as the first rotation of himself without his list of belongings. One rotation to do little else besides be lost in his own thoughts, wonder what in the galaxy is happening up above, and maybe even wish for a visitor or two to keep himself occupied until his cell door opens.

One rotation’s worth of being utterly alone.

Therefore, or so you vow to yourself upon your exit, you've got to get a lock upon half that same list by the time Day Number 2 rolls around. Two items on the path to recovery by their owner, a longer message passed through your electronic pad later this same day, and if no more surprises occur...there might even be a way to get a more direct line established with the Undersecretary’s consent.

Perhaps, in this manner, the two of you may finally have the chance to speak without any ‘supervision’ in place...and, if so, you’ll begin to solve the mystery of this ‘Crimson Jack’.

[seven-snails]

the ending of hxh 2011 still sticks with me so strong even a year later, there's something about it that doesn't feel quite like any other ending i've encountered in fiction. i think this is in part because in the manga it was deliberately written to lead into the next arc, so on a structural level it wasn't intended to be an ending with any real finality to it in regards to the plot as a whole, but it's also like. i remember coming away from the last episode with this very distinct feeling that the adventure wasn't over, but was only just beginning (which is hilarious considering what this hyperfixation has done to the past year of my life lmao), and this sticks out to me so much because even with other works where the ending is explicitly the beginning of something new and bigger for its characters (such as anthy walking away from ohtori, or karen's audition at the very end of the revue starlight movie), i've never come away with this feeling that the story is going to continue rumbling forward, and even take me with it, following what is ostensibly the curtain call. this feeling has very little to do with the scenes we see during the credits (adapted from chapter 339 - i think - titled "silence") and everything to do with the end of gon's conversation with ging, where he tells gon to enjoy getting sidetracked instead of worrying singlemindedly about reaching his destination. there's this really interesting sense that the world is only just starting to open up for gon (and i would argue killua as well) in this complicated, "adult" as in "nuanced and impossible to take in at one glance" kind of way that he was neglecting in his quest to achieve adulthood as a means to achieving power and authority, and this conversation with ging, where he also tells gon about the dark continent, makes it so tangible for the viewer by deliberately linking our limited perspective from the audience's seat with the slowly abating ignorance of this child. it's a really weird place to end a story - with the two main characters having been through so much turmoil, and now setting them down in a place where life is opening up for them on both a literal and an emotional level, and opening up for them because everything they went through has allowed them to mature to this point; it's not just that they're moving on to their next adventure, but that that adventure is necessarily going to be so much bigger and richer than anything else they've experienced because the ways they've grown will allow them to taste life that much more deeply - and what makes it so strange is that we're only seeing the promise of that. not the first step, or even the shape of the next threshold they'll have to pass through - just the promise of it. it gives off this really novel feeling that once you close the episode and walk away, rather than leaving behind an experience that has now reached its end, the actors that made that experience what it is will still be walking forward parallel to you, and i really love that. god what a show.

[sunsetzer]

On one hand, I want a final fantasy 6 remake, because the game is criminally underrated and the amount of fan content (which is all absolutely fantastic btw) is Not Enough for my neurodivergent, hyperfixating brain.

On the other hand, that would inevitably encourage more people to join the fandom, which would be great, except it seems these days the bigger a fandom gets the more toxic it becomes, and I really like what we have going on over here in our little corner. We all just love the game and its characters and nobody fights about who should and shouldn't date who or who you shouldn't like because they're ~problematique~. Nobody's trying to make one ship morally better than another, nobody's calling anyone names or threatening to doxx people who don't agree with their opinions. It's so peaceful and I love that for us. We're just vibing. Moisturized. Unbothered. In our lane. Flourishing.

[driedupeyeballs]

OH MY GOD???? I already love them sm

I literally edited a new profile for them for this cuz the old one was outdated BUT YEAH IDK IF THIS WAS AN INVITE TO INFODUMP ABT MY JAMIAZU FANKID BUT IM USING IT AS ONE

Btw I can only wish to achieve your level of snake knowledge I thought my reptile hyperfixation went deep but yours is deeper I wanna know your ways

But that isn’t relavent YEAH HERES MY JAMIAZU FANKID HI TUMBLR *lets them out like you would a spider under a cup*

So I have a shit ton of Twst fankids btw! They kinda swim around in my brain but only a few ppl I know have gotten the info dumps lmao

Skye was the first one I made I think (actually it might’ve been Rico (florid) but eh oh well who’s counting)

But yes this is Skye Ashengrotto!

They’re my older Jamiazu kid, I do have two. The younger one is my octo boy Akram :) he’s funny I wanna pinch his cheeks but he’s not the point here

So Skye! It feels weird publically infodumping abt my OCs like wtf am I even supposed to put here

They’re a half mer, which do work a lil different than normal mers in my lore. Half mers can transform without a potion but it’s still a long and generally painful process, esp going from mer to human. I kind of switch between calling them a snake mer and a naga but there’s lore there- Nagas exist in my lore outside of sea snake mers, there are also fully terrestrial Nagas. So the terrestrial nagas wouldn’t be considered snake mers but the sea snake nagas would be a type of mer while also still being a naga ITS CONFUSING DONT ASK (actually do. Ask everything so I can roll more of my fankids out like marbles)

Skye was created by a spell, I haven’t quite worked the details out 😔 but Jamil is part gorgon in my lore which is why they have the hair snakes which isn’t a typical naga trait. And to elaborate on the hair snakes: they are alive, the one w the bigger stripes is Flora and the smaller stripes is Jett. Skye can communicate w them telepathically and their eyes glow which is kinda neat. They’re kind of Skye’s version of floatsam and jetsam (unless u count Rico (florid) and Lilac (treyjade) which is like their ver of the twins- IDK ITS COMPLICATED)

idk what else to put here so LETS THROW SOME FHARACTER DYNAMICS YEAH and also mentioning some of my other fankids! They all have profiles (except my Malleus kid I’m sorry Aihan I can’t think of a design for you) but I’m probably gonna save those for another post-

So jamiazu in my lore live in the Shaftlands in a beachfront place and also live pretty close to Treyjade, however Florid live in the Queendom. The octatrio and their spouses is a close group so they’re essentially a big family. My treyjade kids are Maren (older) and Lilac, then my Florid kids are Rico (older) and the twins Mary and Eliza.

Skye saw Lilac more as a kid cuz they lived so close together but also saw Rico a lot when flrd would visit or they’d go to visit them. Rico is an agent of chaos and Lilac is Skye’s 2nd in command so their dynamic on a surface level is pretty similar to the octatrio, but there’s still a lot of differences once u get into the meat of it. Tho Lilac and Rico are Skye’s best friends and basically like siblings to them.

Outside of jamiazu Skye is particularly close with Jade, they share a love of tea :) he’s their cool but also slightly unsettling uncle

THEN THERES SHENZI- Shenzi is my younger kaliruggie kid and I am not gonna get into her here bcuz she rlly needs her own post w all her trauma but good lord these two do not like each other. Shenzi’s really nice but she’s not quite as nice as Kalim so after about 5 months of trying and failing to befriend Skye in their freshman year she just gave up and now their relationship is nothing but hostile (which was not helped when Shenzi and lilac started dating)

Speaking of that tho- so my idikei kids :) Ember (named after the pokemon attack) is the older one and he’s basically that “Jock idia can’t hurt you he’s not real Jock idia:” thing as a person he has the Fire hair n shit but he plays basketball and is heavily extroverted but no one gives a shit abt Ember this is NOT ABT HIM this is abt his sister! Her name is Zelda because you know Idia would name his daughter Zelda- she got all of Idia’s social anxiety lmao. She’s extremely shy and there’s a total of like 4 people in the school she can actually talk to without melting into a small stain on the floor. She’s an Skye are both in board games club and sometime in early freshman year she falls on her ass and knocks over a bunch of stuff which Skye happens to witness and cue the most awkward interaction known to man bcuz Skye can’t talk to pretty girls and Zelda can’t talk to ANYONE but they end up walking to the mirror hall together afterwards which becomes a routine. Except they’re both awkward as fuck take like almost two fucking years to get together bcuz neither of them are gonna do anything abt it BUT THEYRE VERY CUTE!! I love them

Also my ashengrotto siblings are very wholesome I need to write some stuff w them- Akram is a little shit and he loves pissing Skye off but at the end of the day he admires them and Skye loves their brother a lot :)

Anyway good lord I’ve yapped too much okay OH YEAH Skye has a Russian blue cat named Mariana who they just fucking found on the side of the road and thought it was a mouse so for like 2 years Azul thought Skye was gonna eat the cat

OK HERES RHE ACTUAL PROFILE these aren’t as chaotic as the other ones all the other ones are more meme than profile ALSO RHEIR UNIQUE MAGIC DOESNR HAVE A NAME AT THE MOMENT IF ANHONE HAS AN IDEA FOR ONE PLS SHARE I HABE NO THOUGHTS

(If you recognize my art style from instagram no you don’t also THEY DO HABE EYES I JUST DONT DRAW THEM CUZ MY STYLES WEIRD)

But yeah I love them I hope they explode (affectionate)

[questioningespecialy]

i’m constantly reminded of mortality, and it doesn’t bother me the way you’d think

repost from that time i deleted an article i spent 4 days on T-T actual post this time since i somehow posted it privately yesterday 😭

---

Hi, I’m Questioning. And I like to waste my life away dedicate my free time to random hobbies that catch my hyperfixation interest on the fly. Currently, I’ve returned to something most important. Updating the encyclopedia-esque database of AlternativeTo.net. o_o

Let me finish.

See, I started exploring the world of Visual Novel (VN) makers, which led to me discovering the world of Interactive Fiction (IF)–their predecessor afaic. And that’s where it got strange. What I’ve found is interesting developments in terms of innovation and such. Like Undum (image)–“a game framework for building a sophisticated form of hypertext interactive fiction” according to its GitHub. IFWiki calls it “an authoring system for CYOA-style stories playable on web browsers.” It was created by I.D. Millington in 2009, released in 2010, had returned in 2018, and would’ve changed the IF genre (kinda like Twine did) if not for how hard it was to get into.

Undum’s flexibility and power have made it the engine that drove some of the most significant works in IF (The Play, Almost Goodbye). But it has always been relatively inaccessible. Undum is not the system of choice for writing straightforward hypertext games; it’s a challenging system to learn and use that demands the author build their own engine on top of it to drive their game logic. Consider Raconteur for “Undum with batteries included.” -Bruno Dias (x)

Enter Raconteur, “a friendlier way to write Undum hypertext fiction” that was announced by Bruno Dias in 2015. More accurately described as “a library of Undum tools that can get someone writing their story quickly.” Here’s the thing about the “library of Undum tools” part: Undum did not come prepackaged with any… even though they were required to write your game,…😐 which “meant doing a lot of your own tooling.” 😑

Yeah, no surprise it won the award for Best Technological Development in XYZZY Awards 2015.

But hold up, somethin’ ain’t right…

Undum’s only got 21 games on IFDB.org and Raconteur’s got 4… with 1 overlap with Undum. 😐

So~… wth?

Well, someone else had a similar question on intfiction.org in March and got Josh Grams’ opinion on it: JavaScript.

🤷🏿‍♂️

So even though Undum was designed as the visual version of bookbinding and with the specific goals “aesthetic” & “technical” in mind, shit’s too intimidating compared to alternatives.

I hoped [writing Undum in JavaScript] would make it accessible for a wider range of dabblers, requiring transferable skills rather than learning a new language. It also made it achievable to write and document over a few weekends: I didn’t have to worry about parsing, or creating a complete runtime. But the best benefit, and in some ways the one least exploited in practice, is the ability to use Undum as part of a bigger game. I imagined a strategy game with CYOA elements, or a piece of interactive fiction using natural language generation to be different each time. -Ian Millington (x)

And here’s~ where it gets a bit fucked.

Remember the other person who had a similar question–J. J. Guest? Well, they ended their post with “Was it simply superseded by Ink / Inky?”

Let’s keep this simple:

Ink [image] is the core narrative engine itself, written in C#. It includes the code for the compiler. If you’re not technical, you don’t need to worry about this. Inky [image] is our ink editor, which is a text editor with support for playing as you write. If you’re just starting out with ink, this is all you need. inkle is the game development studio that created ink (x)

So it’s “a narrative scripting language for games” and yet another CYOA maker. Why do I bring them up? Well, Inkle (the company) “was founded in 2011 by two Cambridge game developers [Joseph Humfrey & Jon Ingold] with a passion for storytelling and beautiful design” (x). They started off with their unique “inklebook” format, which had an early prototype game in ~2008 that Jon described as

an iPad-based choice-driven story made of ‘pages’ which stitched together into a single flow via frequent choice points. It was a lovely UI for a choice-based game, even in prototype form, and we had a strong scripting language underneath it – the first version of ink. (x)

In January of 2012, they released “a web-tool for writing and reading simple interactive stories” called inklewriter. Joseph described it as “a simpler subset of the inklebook format” (x) and admitted “inklewriter was partly born out of the surprise that there isn’t anything out there for quickly and easily writing non-linearly.” (x)

After already having “moved away from developing inklewriter for a long time,” it went “permanent beta” in September of 2017 due to “increasing frequency of persistent bug-reports.” Sad news considering the statement “we’ve had hundreds of thousands of stories created by hundreds of thousands of users; we’ve won awards from school and library associations; and hopefully we’ve helped kickstart a few interactive writers careers” (x). And since writers (who became aware in time) were able to “rescue” their story from the bugs and potential wipeout with a simple Save Page As, it was probably a bit less heartbreaking when inkle revealed less than a year later that inklewriter would be shutting down completely in August of 2018. Seemingly because “it’s real work to fix the issues that arise” with the constant browser changes. 😐

Only 7 months later, it returned in March of 2019. Stable, still free, and now open-source after developers in the open-source community “produced a full port of inklewriter to modern web-tech.” 🥳 Writers needed to make new accounts and import their stories to the new database, but that was it. And since the legacy version was (and is) still around, they could do it pretty quickly. (x)

But where dahell was I going with this? Let me tell you about the original connection first: Unity Integration.

The [ink-unity-integration] plugin provides you with everything you need to get started with ink in Unity. It automatically recompiles ink files as you edit them, and even comes with a simple previewer that lets you play stories directly within the Editor, without writing a line of code. (x)

Remember Ian Millington’s statement from awhile ago? “But the best benefit, and in some ways the one least exploited in practice, is the ability to use Undum as part of a bigger game. I imagined a strategy game with CYOA elements, or a piece of interactive fiction using natural language generation to be different each time.” (x)

Well,… Stoic Studio (announced that they) did it in January 2013 when they used inklewriter for The Banner Saga. Though, inkle recommends you use their ink scripting language instead for Unity projects. 🤷🏿‍♀️ A scripting language that was ported to JavaScript in May of 2016, btw. The port (inkjs) having its latest release just 6 freaking days ago while Undum and Raconteur had their last GitHub edits in 2018 & 2020 respectively.

Either way, Ian’s imagination of “a strategy game with CYOA elements” happened… with another mofo’s software. 😐

And what’s that? I left something out?

I left working on Undum to develop Varytale, a short lived commercial IF endeavour that shared a lot of the same aesthetic and narrative structure. And then I retired, and it lay fallow, aside from email help requests that still drip into my inbox. -Ian Millington (x)

Let’s see what IFWiki says about this endeavor:

Varytale was a platform for authoring and publishing browser-based CYOA, created by Ian Millington and Alexis Kennedy; it occupied a point somewhere between Undum and StoryNexus [a comparatively mostly defunct endeavor from 2012]. The Varytale website was live from approximately 2011 to 2015. The first posts on Varytale’s blog appeared in June 2011. On March 7, 2014, Varytale posted a comment on the Varytale Facebook page saying, “The project is stalled, due to key people leaving the project. So there’s no news, and I’m not sure if or when there will be.” The last Wayback Machine snapshot of www.varytale.com/books was taken in September 2015. (x)

On its May of 2012 public beta announcement on FailbetterGames website, something slightly poignant was said.

But the technology is great [seriously] - it’s easily the most flexible and powerful tool of its kind, and it’ll be fascinating to see what people can do with it once the writers’ programme opens up. And as it happens, Jon Ingold / Joseph Humfrey’s very elegant inklewriter has also just gone live [4 months prior]. (…) …[inklewriter] covers some of the same territory as Varytale, but it’s (by design) simpler in concept and execution. (x)

Life is truly cruel.

If you check the archive from possibly days before its shut down in September of 2015, you’ll see 4 official books (Bee, Fighting, How To Read, Hymn & Shanty) and 3 User Published Books (London Road, Sixth Tower, Tillinghast). That’s 7… 7 books. 😐

But it’s not that sad. According to the Varytale blog’s 2nd to last post (in June of 2012), “we passed 50,000 reads across the seven books currently on our reader’s beta.” This was perhaps a full week after they released the floodgates and actually allowed people to start readin’. Das alot to me. They clearly succeeded in “building a platform for authors to write great books, and for publishers to publish them.” Even built a whole-ass “system that does generative design,” creating “artwork based on the author’s choice of patterned design or photograph” (x). Or, as we’d quickly say 12 years later, some AI shit.

So wut 👏🏿 in da fuq 👏🏿

Why’d they never get past the 7 book mark in the 2 years between Reader’s Beta and project stallation? Well,… there’s a hint at the end of that 2012 blog post: “We have a queue of people wanting to write content, who are been added a few at a time. So lots of hard work in the beta still to go.” hm~ 🤔

If The Way Back Machine had archives past January of 2013, we’d definitely know more, but this is it (i ain’t diggin’ a wider hole at this point). And what is it? I think it’s a matter of workload. Too much for too few people who had however much goin’ on in their lives. Remember much earlier this bit from IFWiki?

On March 7, 2014, Varytale posted a comment on the Varytale Facebook page saying, “The project is stalled, due to key people leaving the project. (x)

Maybe things weren’t smooth enough for awhile. Maybe it was something else for those 2 years prior. 🤷🏿‍♂️ And you know… the end of Emily Short’s blog post Writing for Varytale might hold the answer.

There are still some challenges about using the Varytale system, though it’s evolved tremendously over the course of beta. One of the biggest authorial challenges is that, while there’s the awesome structure tool shown above for looking at branching structure inside a storylet, it can be considerably more challenging to get a view of what’s going on at the macro level. And I’m not even sure what the tool for this ought to look like. The strength of storylets is that they can affect which other ones pop up in a fairly freeform way, and one can affect another (via their shared stat use) without explicit logic in either. But that’s also what makes it really hard to graph how they will act. Most of the bugs that arose in Bee were related to this issue of envisioning the total structure of the work and detecting storylets that were going to break that structure. (x)

So in this case aswell, the innovations of Ian’s Varytale make it… (a bit) intimidating to work with. 😑Whether or not this difficulty was ever ironed out post-beta is unknown to me, especially considering the end of Ian’s thankful response to Tom H.’s suggestion for fixing the macro level problem: “When will I get chance to code it? That’s a whole other matter!”

…hm~

And on the same post lies magnus4444’s statement that “There isn’t a lot of documentation out there yet on the implementation of more advanced effects but, on the plus side, Ian is generous with advice and tips.”

🤷🏿‍♀️

So wtf do we have here. Effectively two developers (i’m simplifying it; fight me) who 1) made a CYOA maker (Undum & inklewriter) for very similar reasons, 2) put development aside to focus on other CYOA makers (Varytale & Inky), 3) had their neglected work taken up by open-source developers for the good of everyone, and 4) reaped the benefit of the other’s labor in some way. Now, here’s where we’re back to the sad part. Inkle’s version of the tale is the American Dream ™. Inklewriter was beloved by many and had mainstream success. Ian’s version is the harsh American Reality. Undum only bore 24+ games over the course of its 13 year existence on the internet and in the world of IF. And if a single person’s opinion is to be taken as fact… then the reason was simple: shit wasn’t easy to pickup. And thus, regardless of Ian & Bruno’s efforts, it (at this rate) is bound to become an obscure software regardless of its potential. All while Varytale remains gone and Inky (released in June of 2016) is still goin’ strong with 160+ games released using its Ink language/engine.

Which brings me back to the matter…

i’m constantly reminded of [my] mortality

[celticwolfie]

Welcome in!

Hey there! I might as well make something to let you all know a few more things about me and my blog here in this little post. At least I hope it won’t be too long of a post. Anyway, you can call me Celtic, Cel, Wolfie or Woofs.  I really don’t mind. I am a writer and I occasionally draw. The creative things I do would be in the #celtic writes and #Celtic draws Tags respectively. Also, please don’t be afraid to send in any asks or anything! I love hearing from people! I just am a bit awkward. 

Current hyperfixation: The DCA fandom (FNAF Security Breach) 

My current writings: 

Crimson Skies

Summary:  “Sun and Moon has hunted someone who is more fight than flight. Little do they know that this small turn of events initiated a bigger chain of events to happen.“

Info on the fic: My personal Vampire AU fic with a bit lot of fantasy twists in it. Even though the fic focuses mostly on the reader’s interactions with Sun and Moon, you will meet the rest of the cast sometime in the fic.  Tags related to the fic/au: #Crimson Skies

Solstice

Summary: “ You were young when the Pizzaplex was starting with their construction. Now that you've grown up, gone to college and been through a couple of hoops from things out of your own control, including a severe accident, and you've landed neck deep in financial issues. Stumbling blindly as you go, you've decided to move back home and try at least to apply as a mechanic for The Pizzaplex. Please mind the tags. serious topics will be brought up in later chapters, I'll try to warn ahead of time. ” 

Info on the fic: After a life changing accident the reader (Y/N) applies and gets the job at the Pizza Plex. They now work as a mechanic and general technician for the Pizza Plex. However, they have new issues that arise when they start their job there. The reader is an amputee with prosthetics. With the miracle of robotics and the fact that technology has advanced so far, the reader has a robotic arm. Just like in the summary mentions, there are serious topics that will be brought up as the fic goes on. The reader has their own issues, while also trying to help the animatronics around them.  Tags related to the fic/au: #Solstice

To Be Hunted Summary: “ You are a lone werewolf that had been accepted in to this small farming community. Everything was fine and peaceful until a vampire rolls in. After taking care of the threat, two hunters are called in. Now you need to balance finding out what vampires want and trying to keep the hunters at a distance. The questions is, are you going to be successful?” Info on the fic: Careful with the tags. There is descriptions of violence and minor character deaths. Sun and Moon are more likely going to appear in chapter two after to being called to take care of the situation in the town. However, there is a much bigger plot that is about to happen if the reader (y/n) isn’t able to put a stop to it.  Tags related to the fic/au: #To Be Hunted, #Hunter au  Growing Pains Summary: “ It was going to be a normal fishing trip. Just a normal hike to the secluded river beach and maybe relax while listening to the forest waking up around you. However, that isn't how things go for you and now you managed to gain the attention of a legendary creature. Now everything seems to be turned on its head. Hopefully, you can adapt to it quickly enough and help these living legends out as their world is starting to shrink around them.” Info on the fic: My merMay fic that went a bit longer than I expected. Sun and Moon are based off lake sturgeons that have seasonal migrating patterns. There is more to them than that though and the reader is in the middle of more than just a new world being introduced to them.  Tags related to the fic/au: #Growing Pains, #merfic, #fishyfic Lion Au (Also know as the Lion King Au) Information of the AU: Sun and Moon were raised in a pride along with the rest of their family, a few are ocs to make the au work. Everything was fine until a larger rival pride invaded their home land, challenged their oldest brother for not only the land but the rest of their pride members. To keep everyone safe, Eclipse left the pride. After the quality of life for the celestial pride started to decline a year after, Sun and Moon left. Moving to a more Nomadic nature as the seasons change and flood their dry season den. But things don’t stay the same as the receive word that their other brothers are still alive in a different land. Tags related to the AU: #lion au #lion king au, #lion Sun, #lion Moon.

Just to let you all know! I love receiving questions about my fics and in general. So feel free and ask a few questions! I also do post crumbs every now and then under the tag #crumbs so it is easier for you all to see them. 

Also I hope you all are having a lovely day! ^-^

[kriber]

gonna post the arven essay i did in my friend's dms bc i think about this little buddy too much (context is that i was explaining the ending to my friend who doesn't play pokemon bc i was hyperfixing)

we exit area zero. miraidon is back to full strength. penny and nemona seem fine. penny seems shaken, but when is she not. you don't seem too bothered. arven…. he's not ok. his parent never gave him any attention. not as a kid, not as an teen, not even now. he played in the lab with his maschiff while his parent worked. he tried to get them to play with him. they brushed him off. they're working, after all. he frowns. guess that's just how it is. when he was young, his parent gave him a lizard. he never saw them again after that. he hated that fucking lizard. he thought it took his parent away, any chance that they could possibly love him and give him the attention he has been starved of for so many years. this thing is just a reminder of what he lost. he cooked for himself. cleaned, washed, everything. from an age too young. and he had to take care of the lizard too. fuck this. (he didn't know that his parent sacrificed their life for this lizard. that they jumped in front of a deadly attack that incapacitated their body, their death following soon. they would rather protect their work subject than be there for their son. he doesn't know that. he doesn't need to.) he goes down to area zero one day. he's old enough, mabosstiff is old enough. they go down to search for their parent. something… appears. hurts mabosstiff. so badly that he can't get back up. still alive, but in constant pain. how could he let this happen to his best friend? his only family? miraidon loses the territorial scuffle. it can no longer go into battle mode. pathetic of it, arven thinks, getting out as soon as they could. what does he do now? he reads about the herba mystica - herbs that can cure anything. he believes that only that can help mabosstiff. he finds some kid that seems to have taken a liking to the damned lizard, so he hands its ball over. he has bigger things to worry about. but this kid helps him find the herbs. defeat the titans. they help him heal his best friend. and heal he does!!! mabosstiff is right as rain now! perfectly capable of walking and barking and living! the kid gets a call from the professor. the first arven's heard from them in years. a decade, maybe. they're more interested in the kid and the lizard. than their own. fucking. son. they want him to be an errand boy. fine. he owes it to the kid, after they helped him with mabosstiff. but area zero is just as scary as he remembers it. he doesn't let it show - the others can't see. he hides it. but he knows something isn't but he sees them - face to face. it's a robot wearing his parent's face. they turn to him and say they still love him. maybe there's a chance here! he can still have a parent, after all this time! that was a foolish thought. his parent is gone - lost in time. forever. all he's left with is the lizard. again. but this time, he has friends. the bestest of friends that would do anything for him. and for the first time ever, he feels like he belongs. like he has a family.

[quinnonimp]

do you have any favorite books/movies/shows? (this is me asking you to ramble about your favorite piece of media, I'm in the mood for special interest talk.)

ooo im not much of a consumer of media but one of my favorites is homestuck !!!! ill talk abt it, but mind u im kind of horrible at talking abt my interests </3

im not that old of a homestuck fan (only got into it around 2020 i think) but FUUUUUCK its such a huge part of my life and probably my longest hyperfixation, might even be a special interest with how much i still think abt it at random intervals or small associations

im honestly a little of scared of falling back into my hyperfixation of it though ? theres a few small reasons but i think its mostly just me being scared of commitment to anything as always (which is probablt also why i barely consume media) . recently i was REEEALLY close to but new ccquackity/ccwilbur activity dragged me away to safety lmfao (if u could even call a dsmp/tntduo hyperfixation safety)

smth i rly love abt homestuck is the way its so incredibly focused on characterization rather than story

like YES it does have a great story but its clearly messy n weird n hussie just kind of throws anything up in the air and just the dumbest shit ever can happens, and while that is aswell smth i absolutely fucking love - the characters r a way bigger deal n more interesting than anything the story will conjure up, and thats definitely my favorite way of writing media

cause like, yknow, good characters can absolutely save a bad story, but a good story cant rly save bad characters

plus theres so many characters and theyre all so well written that its easy to find a fan for each of them

my favorite character is 100% gamzee, im so fucking normal abt him, like oh my god i love that dude so much and the little idealized version of him i have inside my head lmao . mostly the earlier stuff is what i like of him though

fun fact ! hes part the reason im not scared of clowns anymore . i used to be terrified of clowns so when i first read homestuck i thought he was the most annoying freak in the world and DESPISED him, until i started looking more into purplebloods and gradually liked gamzee more until suddenly clowns r now my entire personality

i have so many reasons to love gamzee, but a lot of it has to do with just the plain fact i relate to him and when i see him i go "damn hes just like me fr" . like just . idk . his mannerisms n the way he dresses n looks r pretty similar to mine nowadays - except the whole "murderous instincts" thing, i think . and because of the way i havent read the comic in a while this self projection has really marinated itself

hes also sooooo brasileiro nordestino bc i said so 🤏

other favorite characters of mine are roxy, jade, kurloz, aradia, meenah, and calliope . plus, hes not a favorite but: when i got into homestuck i used to be a way louder energetic person, so my friends would say i was literally karkat, which infuriated the hell out of me x)

classpects is one of my biggest interests in homestuck, i fucking love them so much, im such a personality wizard i will latch onto anything personality related so hard . theyre great for initiating 60 page analysis on favorite characters (or ocs) and are so amazing for characterizing ocs its crazy, and aswell as to just classpect friends or random funny shit . i love them !!

in fact once i made an entire analysis to my friends as to why mosquitos r thiefs of blood, and there were so so so many more reasons than just the funny idea of classpecting a mosquito something called "THIEF of BLOOD"

though what i think a lot of ppl forget though is that while yes theyre heavily based on personality, theyre based on narrative aswell, which is why a real person can never have 1 set classpect all throughout their life since we well dont know the narrative we live in, we dont know our paths or our conclusions or how we'll end up and thats an important thing to know when classpecting since the way to godhood in sburb is a personal journey to self improvement, yknow ?

(though ofc if u wanna classpect solely based on personality go right ahead . the world is yours)

in this era of my life id consider myself a maid of space (which is a cool as fuck classpect and gets me the coolest powers EVER !!!!!!), but 1-2 years ago i considered myself a rogue of blood, then a rogue of rage, then a rogue of space (i was very rogue-ey), plus a few others here n there, and if i were to classpect myself from 3-4 years ago i would be a witch of rage/blood

i just think seeing the way change happens and the way we can see that change through a silly lens such as classpects is cool . with the way my obsessions work im obviously gonna look at the world with anything that associates with my interests in the back of my head, so im gonna start classpecting something like a glass jar if i take a look at it, and thats fun as hell !!

ive changed a lot throughout the years just as everyone does and im gonna continue changing, so who knows what classpect i end up with in another year or two ! its fun to think abt

ill leave my thoughts with that but thanks for asking :.))))

[yostresswritinggirl]

If you're plate isn't too full, can I request a couple of fluffy hc's about Albedo with a photographer! s/o? Like, his s/o enjoys taking pictures of the environment and etc, and even take pictures of Albedo whenever he just does stuff, and Albedo enjoys sketching then whenever they just do a whole picture spree- they even exchange pictures too

Yes, my plate is too full and I'm confused why you guys don't see the request closed thingy in my description. But does it look like I care? No, I miss writing for Albedo and you're getting Albedo NOW-

Sepia Times

Albedo with a Photographer!S/O headcanons/scenarios... (event masterlist)

Ever since Fontaine released their newest device called Kamera, you had been so adamant in getting ahold of one that you ended up going on a travel spree to the said nation. Not even waiting for the shipment to Mondstadt, you left a quickly written note of your whereabouts before you left.

Spontaneous as ever, Albedo thought to himself as his grip on the note tightens with worry.

Luckily, three days later, you hailed from the Hydro Archon's land with your newest prized possession in hand. Triumphant and giddy, both of your lives changed drastically from there.

Albedo first and foremost, almost dismantled your Kamera. Actually he may have already done so behind your back, he was just caught the last time. He was really curious of its machinations and wanted to reverse engineer it.

He only ever lived because he was fast enough to reassemble it and show you that it still works. If not, you were already charging at him to throw hands. You did not travel for three days just for the Kamera to be broken. Whether he found what he was looking for or not, he's not allowed to touch it until he gets his own when the supply reaches Mondstadt.

Knowing your excitement, Albedo takes a sudden day off to accompany you in your Kamera spree, his own canvas and easel under his arm to also channel his artistic energy.

In just a day you managed to take 20 pictures, about to run out of film in just a day. Everytime you snap a picture, you gravitate to where Albedo is stationed to show off what you got like a crow and its shiny rocks. He finds it very endearing, stating his honest honey-covered opinion that makes you overjoyed enough to energize you to snap another, better picture.

The Alchemist sees the appeal of the Kamera and how immediate the replication of the image is. But he still glorifies the art of painting. He may not be able to capture constantly moving subjects but he can capture any detail he wants emphasized unlike the limited rasterization of a photo like that.

He watches you from afar as you skip over to different places and objects, face blooming with wonder as you position your device to snap. He dons a smile when you pull out the photo and wait for the image to materialize, and produce a chuckle when you sprint over to him to show the product. It's like your routine you developed in just a day.

So at times when he needs it the most, he will steal borrow your Kamera to snap a quick picture of something fast moving that he needs to observe immediately or wish to sketch/paint in detail in the future. One of the photos he had hidden for himself had a picture of you in your natural photographer environment as you dash around to look for a scene to capture while you wait.

What's it for? Well he made it into a more intricate painting during his spare time, presenting it to you with the little image taped at the top right corner. It was so beautiful that when outsiders were to see it after they were granted to access his office/laboratory, they always ask for the price for it. Something he adamantly refuses with the coldest glare the Alchemist can make. The negotiations usually end there.

Whenever he was far and you couldn't follow, like Dragonspine for example (the Kamera was still in development so cold temperatures might risk both the device and the processing), you always send him a picture for his thoughts. Either by asking Sucrose, Timaeus or the Traveler if they were en route to his camp, of course.

As you send one to him daily, Albedo started to look forward to your little mail every time. They range from very beautiful sights he hasn't seen before, images of the people of Mond who looks to be greeting him, or of you and the things that would remind him of you.

He keeps a haphazardly strewn journal for it, and in his camp was a board of his favorite picks, and all images of you are tacked on it. The Traveler enjoys watching his cold teal eyes light up whenever he brings the daily image, watching the picture board grow as Albedo tacks the latest one in with obvious pride and joy.

When he comes back to Mond, he brings with him his most beautiful piece from Dragonspine. You'd know it's special because everything is painted in detail, even the most unimportant parts of it. It's his gift for your little photo exchange and you have it put up on wall somewhere in your house.

When he gets his own Kamera, it was his turn to drag you to his photography spree. A little one-sided competition happens between you two where you try to one up the quality of his pictures, sometimes successful and sometimes you don't really... understand what he's doing, as he captures the strangest images.

Albedo uses his solar isotoma when you want to use it for better angles. Very supportive, as you'd hear a snap from beneath as you position your own Kamera.

The whole of Mond muses at both of your antics; as you two would most likely do the finger frame thingy impulsively when seeing something worth the attention, the people around you would chuckle at how cute you two looked, focused on your own little world.

He always gifts you extra films or anything related to photography when he can. Since he barely has time to go out sometimes, he has many backup gifts in bulk to whip out if ever he wants to pamper you with his material affection. Albedo is hyperaware of your hyperfixation and will always bring films the moment you run out, like foresight.

You can barely understand Albedo, despite the closeness you two had, he was still an enigma in most occasions. This was one of them. He had been binging on photography lately and everytime you look through the photos he captured, it didn't really make sense. The most random pictures that you wouldn't even dare use a film on strewn here and there, sometimes the photo is even cut off, and you'd think it was a mistake until he started organizing them in a system only he knows.

When you finally gathered up the courage to ask what all of it was about for, you were given a smile as cryptic as his album.

But as he pulls your hand with an excitement you've only seen when his chemical solution produces the expected buff, you somehow deduced that today would be the day you'd find out what the heck he was up to.

"It took longer than I expected it to be," he says as he starts unlocking a room in the Knights of Favonius HQ that you've never been in before, "but the end result was worth it."

Your confusion only grows as you were met with a face full of hanging pictures, most of it you recognize. Leaning over some and looking up on the higher ones, the amount of string and the confusing way they were set up, amazes you still with the amount of effort he had been using on such a big project.

Your untrained eyes loosely guess around 1000 films used for this.

The glass double doors that makes it way to the balcony opens loudly behind you. "Come here," you turn to see Albedo's silhouette open his arms against the setting sun behind him. "You're supposed to look at it from this distance." His arms engulfs you gently when you moved over, sending a gentle squeeze before he turns you back around to see the hanging pictures.

You gasp.

The depth and the splash of colors from this distance, aided with the sun, turned the hanging collage into an expertly placed collage as it shows you the bigger picture: a mold of your face of the first sketch Albedo made when you first met each other. The angles and colors measured to the dot to capture and replicate your beauty.

You feel his lips kiss the back of your head as you stared in awe.

Impromptu Albedo fluff yey

@albaedhoe @struggljng @heisenwurst @moaa @dandelion-dreams @witchsungie @lehra @zelos-simp @legionqueensav @snackgod @rxsalinee @cala-ran @wind-wheel @lilydewi22 @yellowflowre @traveler-lumine @nonniechan @creation-magician @hanniejji

[love-fireflysong]

Blah blah blah I'm a sham blah blah blah terrible person blah blah blah. You've heard all this before so let's just pretend that I've apologized and made promises to be better only to break that promise like next week knowing me. We're all in agreement then? Perfect. Let's just continue then shall we!

That being said, while I would love to do nothing more than share some writing with you all...yeah I ain't got none of that 😅 Ran into a problem like a month ago called 'I decided to watch the owl house and now I'm once again in a new hyperfixation that I've been trying to fight off and have been failing miserably at'. While unlike ud it hasn't inspired me creatively as of yet, it has inspired in me an insatiable need to absorb literally ever bit of fanart and fanfic ever done, and seeing as that fandom is just slightly bigger than until dawn's, it has meant that that's literally all I've been doing the past months oops. So writing has kinda sorta been on the backburner for me sorry 😔 Hell, I only finally just got back the urge to start sewing again just this past week!

And while I would love to say that writing should hopefully pick back up in the near future, just the fact that I apparently have to move AGAIN in the next couple of weeks to a month means its probably not gonna happen 😒

Anyways, seeing as I've at least been able to start doing at least *one* thing creatively again, here's a cross stitch update woo! Except this time you can see what the front of the that pic of the back I shared a couple of hours ago looks like lol.

[cearamorran]

I'm sorry if this is rude and you don't have to answer if it feels too invasive, but how did you find out you might have ADHD? Because I'm kind of wondering if I might have it too (some friends were concerned and said maybe I should get it checked out), but I'm not too sure I should since it feels like if I really have it then it should've been a bigger problem much sooner? Don't wanna waste professionals' times and all. What kind of symptoms did you have and how was the topic brought up?

It’s okay, I’m glad to be of help if I can! I might not be the most knowlegdeable on the matter, and all of this is only my own experience, so i’d recommand doing your own research as well.

This might be a little long, sorry ^^'

Actually it was right here on tumblr that I learned about it in the first place. It started with reading posts where they mentioned it and its symptoms and i was like “wow, sounds rough :/”

It was only after reading about it more that i realized that it fit me a little too well. My whole life flashed before my eyes and it was a “oh my god that explains everything” moment.

I also had my doubts at first, because I thought everybody was just Like That. I think it’s common not to even realize you might have it because you just grow up learning ways to go around it, you know? and also it’s not like society is any help. When I was young I was actually one of those High Potential kids (here in Switzerland it’s what they’re called, i’m not sure what’s the name elsewhere ) so my teachers and my parents KNEW there was something up with me, but basically they dealt with that by trying to make me switch class ONCE, and when that didn’t work (because I was a stubborn ass kid and just completely stopped working until they put me back in my old class with my friends) they just went “oh well, guess that didn’t work :/” and i spent the rest of my school years getting progressively worse at studying and learning.

Symptoms for me were that basically I couldn’t work on something that didn’t interest me. Reading anything for school was impossible, I zoned out every three sentences. Maths were - still are - incomprehensible to me (and on top of it my teacher was a psychopath. to this day i go into flight or fight mode whenever i’m presented with even the stupidest math problems. though maybe that’s just a gay thing lmao)

Hyperfixations are a big thing for me. The first one that I can remember was when I was thirteen. I’d just gotten access to the wonders of internet back then, and I discovered.... Sonic. I was that kid, yes. So every day I lived and breathed Sonic. All day at school, the only thing I could think about was going home to get on the computer and watch SonicX episodes, draw my Sonic OCs and write my Sonic self-insert fanfics. I just thought everyone started vibrating out of their skin when they liked something, you know? I wrote novels about me and sonic going on adventures but i couldnt write three words for that presentation i was supposed to give the next day

I also go through a cicle of extremely efficient and completely apathetic, i’ve found. (though maybe that’s more like a depression thing than an ADHD thing, but my anxiety/depression and ADHD are definitely linked to each other anyway) It definetely shows in my chaotic history on this blog. My jaytim week from like four years ago, when I posted whole ass comics every DAY?? i was on a roll, and then my hyperfixation died down and i entered Anxiety Territory.

So yeah, those are the most obvious things for me, but there are tons of other things that won’t come to mind right now. Since it’s been a part of me for my whole life it’s literally MADE me who i am today. but i know symptoms can vary a lot from one person to the other, and not every one deals with it in the same way.

If you think you might have it and can get it checked out, i would definitely go for it. Professionals are here for that, you wouldn’t be wasting their time. And it’s not because you’re functional that it can’t impact your life. I suffered my way all the way through to high school before dropping out, but if someone had told me I had ADHD back then and helped me out, maybe I would have gone to college, (unlikely because i am very much an artist at heart, but I at least would have had the opportunity) maybe my traumatized ass wouldn’t have a mental breakdown over the mere mention of picking up my studies again.

Anyway, when I found out there actually might be a real thing(TM) going on with me and it wasn’t just me being stupid I might have cried a little.

So yeah, I hope this can help, and sorry for the novel-size answer ^^

[a-solitary-marshmallow]

Rewind Chapter 7 - Mistakes are Made

Oh jeez, I mean to post this days ago but I totally forgot! Whoops.

As you might have noticed, updates are coming pretty slow at the moment. This fic is getting hard to write, due to personal circumstances and shifting hyperfixations, but I will continue it once I’m able to get invested again. Until then, updates will probably be slow. Rest assured, this fic will be completed!

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter :)

_______________________________________________________________

After a few more necessary hours of sleep, which for Ford were deep and dreamless, the construction itself began in two different corners of the lab. On one side Fiddleford dove into making a working prototype of the gun, while on the other side Ford began cooking up ammunition.

Few things could kill a dream demon. Protective unicorn magic could halt one, and the right concoction of ingredients could harm one, but working together they might just be able to kill one. Therein lay the rub – how could the two be combined into a single shot? Luckily, Ford didn’t have his three PHDs for nothing, and he was nothing if not persistent.

:readmore:

By mid-morning he had worked out the necessary ratio of ingredients for the most effective attack power. By afternoon he had created the first prototype, and by late afternoon he had a dish full of them.

The final bullet design had a pill-like appearance, spherical in shape and filled to the brim with cloudy, iridescent magic. They made a glass-like tinkering noise as they dropped into their dish. Ford took a pair of tweezers and lifted one to the light, admiring its shine.

���That looks cool.” Stan said hesitantly from behind him – how long had Stan been being him? Ford yelped and fumbled, nearly dropping the capsule. “Sorry.”

“Don’t sneak up on me when I’m working!” Ford snapped. He hurriedly placed the ammunition back on its tray before it could get broken and turned to frown at his brother. Stan, for his part, looked suitably ashamed. “What are you doing down here anyway? I told you, you’re not allowed in the lab.”

“I know, I know!” Stan’s shoulders were around his ears and creeping steadily higher with each second that passed. “Just – I thought you and Fidds would be hungry? You’ve been doing your science thing for ages and I made food, so…”

“Oh.” For the first time, Ford comprehended the tray in his brother’s hands. “Well, thank you. You’re still not supposed to be down here though.”

Stan stood on his tiptoes to lift the tray onto Ford’s workbench. The normally exuberant boy seemed unusually down, stepping back and rubbing his arm after placing down his load, and a twinge of guilt went through Ford. Okay, maybe a little more than a twinge. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Look – Stanley. I need to apologize for my behaviour earlier. I shouldn’t have gotten short with you.”

Stan shrugged and did not meet his eyes. Ford crouched to be at his brother’s level.

“I. Um, those dreams you told me about. Did you have any more last night?”

Stan stared at his feet and mumbled, “No.”

Ford took a deep breath, but before he could speak Fiddleford called out from across the lab.

“Stanford, I could use a hand over here!”

Ford straightened and hurried over to where his partner was soldering parts together. The gun was beginning to take shape on his workbench – maybe the size of a small hunting rifle but thicker, runes scratched into every inch of shiny metal and shimmering with Bill-proof magic. Fiddleford lifted his soldering mask to wipe his damp forehead.

“I already added yer magic wards and the last of that shiny hair stuff, an’ I gotta finish the magazine. Hold the thing steady for me, will ya? It’s delicate and we’re all outta unicorn hair to make another one, so for god’s sake be careful.”

“Of course.” Ford slipped on a pair of heat-proof gloves and steadied the rifle while Fiddleford lined up the parts. He made sure to avert his eyes from the glow of white-hot metal as his friend worked.

“Watcha doing?” Stanley called from across the lab.

“Attachin’ the last piece.” Fiddleford called back, not taking his eyes off the rifle. “Don’t get to close, or ya might get burned.”

“What bit is that?”

“It’s where the ammunition is stored.” Fiddleford explained.

“Oh! Like the shiny things Ford made?”

“Exactly.”

Once the soldering was complete Fiddleford lifted his mask to inspect the job, squinting through his glasses. He nodded to himself.

“Could use a bit a’ fine-tuning, but I’d call that almost done.”

Footsteps sounded as Stanley approached cautiously. Fiddleford grinned at the child, who stretched onto his tiptoes to see the project. “Whaddya think?”

Stan’s eyes lit up. “That looks so cool! This Bill guy isn’t gonna know what hit ‘im!” He looked between Ford and Fiddleford. “Whaddya do with it now?”

“We gotta make sure everythin’ runs smoothly before anything.” Fiddleford pulled off his soldering mask and wiped his sweaty brow. “Ford, would ya get the ammunition? Once this thing cools down I wanna make sure the dimensions are right.” He began pulling off his thick gloves.

“I can do that!” Stan scurried over to Ford’s workbench, ignoring Ford’s cry. He grabbed the dish of capsules and trotted back with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever playing fetch. Ford let out a hiss.

“Be careful with those!” He snatched them from his brother’s hands, heart racing. The ammunition seemed unharmed, but you could never be too careful, especially when there was a child around. Especially when there was Stanley around. He acted so thoughtlessly sometimes, that was the reason Ford hadn’t allowed him down here in the first place!

Stan looked sufficiently ashamed. “Sorry, Ford.”

Ford placed the bullets down very carefully next to the cooling rifle. “Why don’t you go upstairs? This is delicate work.”

“But you guys seem really busy. I can help!”

“No, Stan. This is very important work and you might break something.”

“No, but I’m good at stuff!” Stan protested. “I can carry stuff, and punch people, and get unicorn hair! I can be useful. You wanna move this to a bigger table? I can do it, see?” And to Ford’s horror he grabbed the gun off the table. Ford snatched for it, but Stan had already yelped as his bare hands came into contact with scorching metal and the rifle slipped from his grip.

Fiddleford dove to catch it. He crashed chest-first into the ground and only barely managed to snag it before it was dashed against the floor as well. The ammunition was not so lucky – the dish overturned in the scuffle and pellets skittered every which way, disappearing under surfaces and around shoes. Stan fumbled to try and collect them, but he was only making it worse, knocking them away in his panic.

“Sorry, sorry sorry sorry-”

“I said no!” Ford roughly grabbed his brother’s arm and yanked him away from the workspace, ignoring Stan’s yelp. “Every time, every time I think we’re past this you just have to go and mess everything up again! Are you not capable of doing what I say for once in your life and just leaving well enough alone? I told you not to touch anything! You could well have destroyed our one chance at getting rid of Cipher once and for all!”

“I’m sorry, okay?!” Stan whined and tried to pull away – dodging responsibility once again, just like always. Ford growled and held him in place.

“Now, Stanley, you– quit squirming! – you will sit down and be quiet and not touch anything else, is that understood?”

“Ford, leggo!” Stan squeaked.

“You are to stay away from Fiddleford and I while we work. I will not have you sabotaging me again, not like you did at the science fair-”

Stan punched him in the face.

It was a weak blow from a tiny fist – it barely hurt – but the shock at having his brother strike him made Ford freeze. Stan ripped from his grip and stumbled back with a whimper that sounded dangerously like a sob.

…oh.

Ford didn’t even have to look at his brother’s pale, tearstained face to realize that he had, perhaps, gone a little overboard.

“Stanley-” Ford couldn’t think of anything to say. What was there to say? Stan looked terrified, and Ford supposed he cut a rather intimidating figure to such a small person. He reached out but Stan jerked away violently from his hand.

Why wasn’t Stan getting mad at him in return? The Stan Ford knew would have yelled right back. Ford could handle anger, but he had no idea how to handle fear.

“Stan, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”

He reached out again, helplessly. The instant his fingertips touched Stan’s shoulder the child recoiled, throwing his hands up as if to defend himself. But surely he knew Ford would never hurt him?

“No! No no no don’t touch me leave me alone! Go away! I hate you and I don’t ever wanna see you again go away!”

Ford flinched, and Stan took the opportunity to spin on his heel and bolt for the stairs. Ford froze, torn between chasing after him and staying to clean up the mess.

“Ford, a little help!” Fiddleford yelped, and Ford made up his mind. He whipped around and hurried to help his friend lift the rifle back onto his workbench. As he took the weight of the rifle Fiddleford snatched his hands back, wincing at the bright red burns that seared across his palms. “Ouch.”

Ford was careful to keep away from the hot section of metal as he lifted the gun back onto the table. When it was secure he was finally able to take a breath and turn to his friend.

“Fiddleford, are you alright?”

“Ah’m fine, just gotta get these in some water. Where’d Stanley go?”

“I – I don’t know.”

Fiddleford’s eyes widened. “If he goes outside the barrier-”

There were more words, but Ford had stopped processing them. He bolted for the stairs.

 Stan was such an idiot.

He hadn’t even stopped to put on shoes before running into the woods, and he already couldn’t feel his toes from the stinging cold. Well, who cared anyway? He just had to get away.

Stan’s numb foot caught on a root and sent him hurtling to the ground, grating his face and hands on frigid, snowy dirt. He let out a squeaking wheeze as the air left his squashed lungs, letting out little hitching coughs and sobs as he struggled to regain his breath.

Shut up shut up shut up, stop being such a wimp. He pushed himself up on shaky arms and sniffled, rubbing at his nose with a pathetic whimper.

Okay. So, everything was crashing down around him. That was fine. Everything was just fine. He still had – um.

What did he have?

There was something in his fist. Stan sniffed and uncurled his fingers to reveal a tiny shimmering pearl resting in his palm. He stared at it, blinking tears from his eyes.

“What the heck are you?”

Oh, wait. It was one of Ford’s bullet things. Stan’s grip tightened around it, that stupid little ball that was so important to his brother.

He placed it on the ground, climbed to his feet, and lifted a foot to stomp down on it.

And hesitated.

Because it was stupid, but Ford seemed to think these were so important, and Stan just couldn’t crush something that meant that much to his brother. He hiccupped and growled to himself.

He couldn’t do it.

Stan shoved it in his pocket and headed further into the woods.

 Stan wasn’t in the house.

A quick, desperate search revealed Ford’s home empty. Luckily a fresh layer of snow lay on the ground outside – a trail of footprints disappeared into the woods and he bolted after them, snatching his coat on his way out. Of all the places to go! The forest wasn’t safe, Ford had to get his brother back inside the barrier where Bill couldn’t reach them-

His foot slipped on wet snow.

Ford barely had time to flail before his legs slipped from under him and his head hit a tree trunk with a decisive clunk.

[rasp-passion-tea]

Hello, sorry if this is annoying but can you explain how Himiko is neurodivirgent, I don't mean to come off as rude or anything, I just don't know much about the topic and am curious? Sorry to cause any trouble.

It’s absolutely not any trouble!! I love talking about how Himiko shows signs of being neurodivergent. It hits close to home specifically since not only is she one of my favorite characters, but I relate to her a lot. Okay, this might be a bit long, so sorry about that lol:

So in case you don’t know exactly what it is, neurodiversity is when mentally your brain is wired differently than normal, or “neurotypical”, peoples brains. Especially with considerably easy functions like socialising, thinking, learning, developing or ageing, and many others. Many disorders can fall under the neurodiversity spectrum. ADHD, BPD, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dyslexia, and many others.

Personally, I think Himiko would fall into the category of being autistic, which has a lot going into it, but can be summed up as a developmental disorder that involves delays in communication, thinking, social situations, and basic human understanding.

Though there is a thread on Twitter that does a good job covering certain criterias that I won’t end up covering (her lack of understanding of social cues, development delays, the reason why she’s depressed, etc.) and it’s really good!!

Below, I’ll list the traits that, in my opinion, Himiko possesses that are common in ND people. Not all of them will be listed, just the bigger ones:

Talking in a slow, almost “emotionless” way

Himiko talks a certain way throughout the whole of the game, rarely ever changing even when she’s expressing very strong emotions. From the very first line she speaks, Himiko talks about something exciting to her, but still sounds very flat and unenthused. Most ND people will always speak in the same tone of voice no matter what. Sometimes, it's very flat and monotone, like Himikos. Sometimes they'll speak slowly either to gather together what they want to say next, or that's just how they were wired to speak. (Almost exactly like Jataro from DR:AE who speaks in a similar way. Who also has a few neurodivergent traits. But that's just a theory c:)

Childish behavior

This usually ranges, but Himiko has a few traits that neurodivergent people have that others consider “too childish”. She’s extremely naive in how she perceives the world, people around her, and their intentions with interacting with her. Like when Kaito asked her to bring her a crossbow of all things and it takes little for her to be convinced to assist him. Or when Kokichi makes fun of her, and she doesn't always gets it. She's sometimes able to understand, but mostly she doesn't understand that he's just taking advantage of her innocence to treat her how he does with others. She takes things everyone says at face value and believes them easily. Her peers consider her to be a bit slow in many areas, almost in a childlike way. She almost has a child-level understanding of vocabulary (i.e. pronounces words the way children do like how the way she says magic almost sounds like “myagic”, her vocabulary is pretty limited, and she usually starts using certain words that she hears others use). When having her Master brought up with the possibility that he left her selfishly and that she was better than him, she always denies it, keeping an innocent mentality so she won’t feel too bad. After being motivated to move forward, she’s seen a lot to want to be helpful to the group and do something useful, and in return they, in my opinion, view that behavior how older people view a child wanting to be helpful to them. The thread above goes more into detail (her bathroom issues, having a unique way of remembering and referring to objects), but these are only some of the examples for Himiko's maturity.

Being a “gifted child” when she was young

This is entirely my speculation since this is never addressed in canon, but Himiko strikes me as a former “gifted child” which most NDs go through. Her “gift” was discovered at a young age and she was really skilled at it. She was known for it by huge masses of people and praised for it. She even had to save the person who saw the talent in her and taught her everything she knows about it when he made a mistake. She gets invited to all types of events because of it. Lot’s of ND kids who were thought of as “gifted'' may have gone through the same thing. It would also explain why she’s so depressed and unmotivated through most of the game, as a result of what’s called “gifted child syndrome”. Having so much praise and expectations set on her so young. Getting older and not having the same energy for it as you had before. Technically all the DR kids are former gifted children, since they're the product of a company exploiting their "gifts", which is a factor in how the world ended in the way it was. But Himiko has more, you could say "traditional" symptoms and after-effects of growing up as a gifted child (depressed, lack of motivation, lack of motivation in her subject, etc.).

Being viewed as lazy

Even though she takes what she's passionate about seriously, less than when she was younger or not, Himiko doesn't always take action with magic, and even everyday tasks. ND people usually lack any sort of drive, sometimes having an “I’ll come back to it later” mentality, excited about it or not. Himiko lacks any drive and motivation throughout the game, even at the idea of being killed, or put in the line of suspicion for someone's killer. She’ll always make excuses on why she can’t act on things, the most common being “she doesn’t have enough MP”. Which goes back to her talent as a magician, which she is especially sluggish in.

Bottling in her emotions and not wanting them to show. But when she does, it results in an on-going meltdown

We all saw it in its prime during the end of the third trial after all, right? Himiko was sort of always closed in, but it wasn't extreme since she hadn't hit her lowest yet. When she did though, (being the prime suspect of Ryoma dying, her closest friends Tenko and Angie dying, being one of the suspects of one of their murders, etc.) She still attempted to hold it all in, which ND people do for a variety of reasons (not knowing how to process extreme emotions, not wanting too much attention by expressing them, or choosing unhealthy ways to process your feelings, amongst others). But once Kokichi called her out for the second time? Not only was everything practically gushing out of her face, but she literally passed out from crying for so long. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that myself, ha. 

The same thing happened in the last trial kind of. Once the truth of the killing game and their identities is revealed, she seems to have a meltdown. It could be from the overwhelmingness of the situation. It could be the amount of "change" of the situation, which she doesn't even remember. It could also be overstimulating tones with the change in environment, the info dumping, and how everyone jumped from topic to topic etc. Meltdowns are normal for ND people, especially since they usually hold in their feelings. Himiko got better at expressing herself, but meltdowns will still happen once something overwhelming occurs (it's a great way to let out steam!!)

Stimming

Stimming is when someone, ND or not, self-stimulates themselves by repeatedly moving in some way either by speaking, moving either themselves or something else, or watching someone else do it. Most of the time, you can see Himiko fidgeting with her fingers or with her hat. Doing something with her hands, which is a form of stimming

Despite that, Himiko most noticeably stims by speaking, as she sometimes repeats stuff others say, sometimes repeats a word in order to comfort herself and her beliefs (saying “it’s magic” over and over, either in retaliation or in general), and has a go-to word that she’ll always use almost every sentence when she doesn’t know what to say, is caught off guard/by surprise, or just when she starts and ends her sentences (y’know like, “nyeh”?).

“Odd” facial features/expressions

This one presents itself a lot in the game and through her design as well. Her lip stays tucked out all the time, her eyes don’t always stay open, and her face often keeps the same expression (tired and kind of bored). Just like when she speaks, even when she's expressing intense emotions, she'll keep a mellow expression. She lifts her hat into the air and not much changes expression-wise. She'll be accusatory to someone and not much changes expression-wise. To certain people she interacts with, they think her face is "weird" since it'll pull in ways it usually doesn't for NT people. It could be because she's trying to force the look on herself so it's more easier for people to read (which is shown to be the case for most people), but it's also possible that it's just how she looks. Since she's older, she has more freedom to make more strategies to have more natural expressions, but it's still off-putting to some of her peers.

The infamous saying, “she comes off as annoying”

Many people know this one well, and Himiko is no different, especially in the earlier chapters. Almost everything stated above is a factor that plays in people's disdain for Himiko, in the game and the fandom. Characters like Shuichi, Kaede, Tenko, and even Angie are one of the only few people who try to understand and adjust to Himiko's behavior in their own method, while everyone else either ignores her, doesn’t take her seriously, or even end up bullying her because of it, not willing to adjust themselves for her specific brand of behavior. Being an obvious target, coming off as weird, being too blunt and coming off as rude (which even caused her having strained relationships with K1-B0, Miu, etc.), sometimes hyperfixating too hard on magic (her “special interest”), all seem to be a reason for people thinking she’s too high maintenance.

,,,this ask sure is a month old isn’t it? retrdfyugihhuyt I am EXTREMELY sorry I answered this so late, but I haven’t been online lately because of moving, but at least I managed to finish this in less than a day lol. It’s long, but I love Himiko, and love all the quirks that make her who she is, and am happy to explain it to others!! I hope this answered your questions either way (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧