#implement unique features

[myownway01]

Five Reasons why Shopify makes E-commerce Easy

“The easiest and most powerful way to increase customer loyalty is really very simple. Make your customers happy.” — Kevin Stirtz, Author

Today’s customers expect a seamless shopping experience from the comforts of their homes. Businesses know it is only possible through an e-commerce website. If we look at the numbers, the expected US e-commerce sales for 2023 was $1.23 trillion. And experts say the number could reach $1.25 trillion in 2024.

More businesses are embarking on a journey into e-commerce, which means you will have to differentiate your brand to stand out. You can make your brand exceptional with extensive e-commerce features to maximize conversion. Trust Shopify to build your brand in 2024! Learn why.

Selecting the right e-commerce platform is a requisite to making your business successful. It will ensure you have access to the best features from the beginning. Additionally, it will also save you from exponential migration costs later.

1. User-Friendly Interface

Started in 2006, Shopify has quickly become the go-to e-commerce software company for businesses and merchants to create websites online. According to a report, 28% of American e-commerce websites used Shopify, making it the top platform for businesses. In addition to large conglomerates, small businesses and startups also trust Shopify because of its user-friendly features. The dashboard is intuitive and provides easy navigation even for users without any technical expertise. Anyone can build their store quickly with several themes, customized storefronts, mobile responsive designs, and an effortless checkout process.

2. Seamless Integration

Did you know Shopify allows you to create an e-commerce website and ensures easy integration with necessary tools like Google Ads and Google Merchant Center? It also offers effortless integration with PayPal and many other third-party payment providers to allow your customers several opportunities to make purchases.

You can connect your existing ERPs and CRMs. You can sync your product catalog with leading marketplaces and social media platforms like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, etc. You can include a quick buy button or an embedded cart option to your existing blog to start selling quickly. It means you can fulfill orders, manage inventory, and analyze performance from your Shopify account without spending significant resources.

3. Multiple Subscription Options

Shopify has multiple plans to cater to different business needs. The affordable Basic plan can help you build your e-commerce store at just $29/mo. You can change the monthly subscription plan to Shopify for $79/mo or choose the Advanced plan at $299/mo according to your needs. Additionally, you can pay yearly to save up to 25% on your subscription.

With their Shopify POS Pricing options, you can use the platform to sell in-person, online, social media accounts, digital marketplaces, and anywhere else. And, if you require complete customization from front-end to back-end, Shopify Plus comes with all the features and several additional resources to manage your business operations from a single location.

4. Efficient Marketing Tools

Shopify is popular among merchants and businesses because the company offers multiple marketing tools to help you reach your customers wherever they are. Whether your customers resonate more with detailed information in the form of blogs or you want to target a specific market through Facebook and Instagram Ads, Shopify makes it possible.

Shopify offers in-built advanced SEO tools to attract an organic audience. It will enable you to optimize content, links, and tags for better compliance with search engine algorithms.

The e-commerce platform allows for detailed email campaigns with Shopify Email. You can choose from business-centric templates and automate the email workflow to grow your business. There is also the option of Shopify Inbox and Shopify Forms to connect with customers via chat and lead capture forms.

5. 24/7 Dedicated Customer Support

When you are a business with a Shopify store, you get 24/7 customer support. Whether it is a technical issue or you need more guidance on the platform’s features and subscription models, the support team will deliver on their promise of 100% customer satisfaction.

The Shopify customer support team is available for live chat in the Basic and Shopify subscription plans. And, for the advanced subscription, you get enhanced live chat. The company also provides resources in the form of blogs, tutorials, and webinars to address the common queries of merchants.

Bonus Benefit: The Spell of Shopify Magic

Shopify Magic combines the power of AI with the sophistication of Shopify. It integrates AI with the e-commerce platform to transform how businesses communicate and convince customers to purchase their products/services. So, whether you are starting a business or expanding one, it will help to create meta content, write product descriptions, edit product pictures, activate a customer service chatbot, and do much more.

Make 2024 the Year of Growth!

In today's digital age, where e-commerce reigns supreme, it is unwise to ignore it. Provide a seamless online shopping experience so your business can thrive in 2024! Choose Shopify to access myriad features and benefits to streamline operations and maximize conversions.

If you are apprehensive about managing your business and the online store by yourself, hire a Shopify developer. While Shopify is a user-friendly platform, and you can experiment with the available themes and apps, it may take some time to get accustomed to its features. Therefore, hiring someone to build a Shopify store is an investment that will be critical to your company’s success.

[snailmug]

"we want to better our users' experiences" @staff says, ignoring their users and their experiences

[firawren]

Which of these would you rather see on your dash?

Hey @staff. This is a perfect example of why collapsed reblogs is such a bad idea. Seeing the full thread, you go like this: 😮 ooh, that's cool 😀 "they're free," hehe! 🤣 "16 cents," perfection!!

I have achieved joy, I feel positive feelings toward Tumblr, I want to engage, I want to stay, my eyeballs land on more ads, you make more money, everyone wins! 🎉

Seeing the collapsed thread, you go like this:

😮 ooh, that's cool 😐 "16 cents"? yes, that's literally what the pic shows, not sure why you felt the need to say that

There is no motivation for me to uncollapse the reblog chain—it looks like a boring conversation about the denominations of coins. And even if I do uncollapse it, you've ruined the joke by showing me the punchline before the setup. I am sad, Tumblr is boring, I go elsewhere to entertain myself, I see less ads, you make less money, everyone loses. 😥

Reblog chains are the best thing about Tumblr. They are your unique super power. They are the thing that makes people screenshot Tumblr and share it around. Why on earth would you kneecap them??

I don't know exactly how you plan to implement this. Give people the option to keep them collapsed if there truly are people who are annoyed by how long they can get (you already have a version of this feature), but don't collapse them for everyone or new users by default. Please. It will make Tumblr so much more boring.

[suppermariobroth]

The Donkey Kong Jr. arcade contains a unique implementation of an anti-piracy feature.

Early games did not check against merely unauthorized copying of the software since that was not yet possible with the tools available at the time, and instead checked whether the code had been modified to remove the "Nintendo" copyright: essentially guarding itself against someone passing the game off as their own creation.

The code checks if the "Nintendo" text on the title screen has been modified or removed, and if it finds any changes, Donkey Kong Jr. will be unable to grab vines, making it impossible to even start playing the first level.

Either as a side effect or as additional mockery, the game will award 100 points every time Donkey Kong Jr. jumps, since that is literally all he can do while confined to the starting platform.

Main Blog | Patreon | Twitter | Bluesky | Small Findings | Source: ORKAL

[damlahayal]

RABİSU - PLATİN (2)

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VPS UK

When it comes to vps uk hosting, Rabisu stands out for its unmatched performance and reliability. Our virtual private servers are meticulously designed to cater to businesses that require a scalable and secure hosting environment without compromising on speed or up-time.

With Rabisu, you leverage cutting-edge technology that guarantees exceptional performance, allowing your applications to run smoothly even under high traffic conditions. Our VPS solutions come with full root access, enabling you to customize your environment to meet specific needs.

Additionally, Rabisu offers flexible pricing plans that ensure you get the most bang for your buck. Whether you are a start-up or a well-established organization, our plans can be tailored to suit your requirements. We believe in providing our customers with the best value, ensuring your investment drives the desired results for your business.

With 24/7 customer support, you can rest assured knowing our expert team is always available to assist you with any issues or questions you may have. Choosing Rabisu means choosing peace of mind when it comes to managing your digital infrastructure.

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Hosting

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Our hosting provides you with dedicated resources, allowing you to customize your server environment according to your unique specifications. This means you have better control over your website's performance, allowing for faster load times and a superior experience for your users.

Rabisu is committed to delivering top-tier security features with our hosting services. We implement advanced security protocols to protect your data, ensuring peace of mind while you focus on growing your business.

Furthermore, our customer support team is always available, ready to assist you 24/7. Whether you're facing a technical challenge or have questions about configuring your server, our experts are just a call or message away, guaranteeing that you are never left in the dark.

In choosing Rabisu for your VPS UK hosting needs, you are opting for reliability, flexibility, and unparalleled support; what more could you ask for? Take your website to new heights with our outstanding hosting solutions today!

[teamfortressblr]

Team Fortress 2's concept art featured in The Art of Videogames (2007)

A transcription of the paragraphs shown can be found below.

Inspiration

"To both complement Team Fortress 2's exaggerated gameplay and differentiate ourselves from the modern photorealistic look of most other multiplayer action games, we chose to employ an art style inspired by early- to mid-20th-century commercial illustration alongside 1960s industrial design elements. Specifically, we drew inspirartion from the styles of commercial illustrators such as JC Leyendecker, Dean Cornwell and Norman Rockwell. These artists were known for illustrating characters using strong, distinctive silhouettes with emphasis on clothing folds, and they tended to use shading techniques which accentuated the internal shape of objects and characters while emphasising silhouettes with rim highlights rather than dark outlines. The nine character classes of Team Fortress 2 were designed to be visually distinct from one another. Even when viewed only in silhouette with no internal shading at all, the characters needed to be readily indeitifiable to players. For elements of the world associated with each of the two teams, blue and red, we defined specific contrasting properties to set them apart. While the red team's base tends to use warm colours, wooden materials and angular geometry, the blue team's base is composed of cool colours, industrial materials and orthogonal forms. We also deliberately avoided modelling the world in an overly complex or geometrically off-kilter manner, as this would add an unnecessary level of visual noise — not to mention memory-hungry vertices — to the scene. We found that keeping repetitive structures such as the bridge trusses, telephone poles or railroad ties to a minimum is preferable for our style, as conveying the impression of repetition in the space is more important than representing every detail explicitly. In general, the texture maps used on the 3D world are impressionistic, meaning that they are painterly and maintain a minimum level of visual noise. This is consistent with the style of painting used on background plates in many animated films, particularly those of Hayao Miyazaki, in whic broad brush strokes appear in perspective as if present in the 3D world rather than on the 2D image plane. Miyazaki also influenced the game's world and character colour palette." — Charlie Brown, project lead

Art and technology

"Valve is a goal-driven technology company, and game and visual design goals drove Team Fortress 2's technology requirements. Its unique look relies on artistic decisions made before the technology was implemented. For instance, a phong/rim-lighting shader was created specifically to help the characters 'pop' out of the environments. It removes detail in colour and then adds detail back in as highlights, giving the characters a stylised look that's simple yet sophisticated." — Charlie Brown

Bold outlines

"The specific characteristics we needed were mostly dictated by Team Fortress 2's gameplay. Foremost, we wanted players to be able to intuit each character's unique gameplay features at a glance. The Heavy Weapons character, for example, had to quickly convey strength, sturdiness, slowness, and the ability to pack a real wallop. To further aid in quick readability, each character class requires a bold, distinct silhouette shape." — Charlie Brown

[revacholreverie]

X7/Locust City Act's V Plot Details, Tasks, and Endings!

hi everyone! I created a new sideblog EXCLUSIVELY so that I can post this text (I figured my main account is shadowbanned or smth) ANYWAY

you can read the 1-5 Acts' Summaries done by @parasolemn! They've done an amazing job and I wanted to take part in deciphering too, hehe

note: English is not my first language therefore word-guessing can be pretty hard for me. There are some minor places I couldn't undestand so I would highly appreciate your help!

UPD 10/04/2025 @parasolemn kindly helped to fill in some lacunas I had in Endings! At the weekend I'll try to edit other gaps myself

PLOT DETAILS ACT V

So what is Cunoesse’s story?

Cunoesse has brought Cuno to Hämärä Maa as a replacement for a kid she drowned three years ago.

Cuno and Jaakko – the drowned kid – don’t have much in common. Both are/were boys with red hair, and about the same build but that’s about it. Only a child’s mind would come up with a plan to replace the dead kid with an ‘identical’ one so she’d be accepted back in her tribe.

But Cuno can’t just be like Jaakko, he has to *become* Jaakko.

The Suru(?) have a coming-of-age rite that involves drinking a brew made of the bone marrow of a blind underwater cave fish. This experience has sometimes profound, sometimes devastating effect on one’s consciousness.

Perhaps this “Naming Ceremony” doesn’t happen until the Hämäräns are 10 years old, so that’s why Cunoesse never got her name, and this is the pretense under which she lures Cuno into the ceremony – a name for herself (but Cuno doesn’t know it’s also going to be a new name for him.)

Cunoesse believes that if she subjects Cuno to this ceremony and “spirit guides” him through this process Cuno might actually *become* Jaakko. Or at least accept he’s Jaakko now. She’s been laying foundation for this transformation throughout this whole journey.

Cunoesse’s people thought her dead, drowned with the boy. Hardly anyone could recognize her at first sight.

Maybe Cunoesse hid the body (under a rock in one of the caves) before she fled Hämärä Maa, so in her mind no-one can definitively claim the kid she brought back isn’t Jaakko.

Psychedelic Sequence

We want this to be a truly visually … and spectacular setpiece where you can bind the rules of everything <…> and apply dream logic.

The entire underwater showdown will be in FELD.

We can depart form/ play with the … perspective, switching into a side-view showing the vastness of the dark screen, with the C&C small figures sinking.

Experiment with overlays, filters as well as tainted and/or 3D mode/ed addictions (??) in the scene, showing people, motifs and icons elements from their journey. There can be lots of … with the visual elements reflecting decisions the players has made throughout the game.

Competitive Red Checks are the key now feature we want to test here, to create unique playthroughs and the impression of truly “fighting yourself” as the rolled value of Cuno or Cunoesse’s Red Checks affects the difficulty of the other’s counter attack.

For the first time, … and commune with each other.

Cunoesse comes out of the trip with +1 Psyche is she lives.

Blue notes:

Multiple life/death outcomes.

Swarm/Locust City side-plot reaches its conclusion.

New home for Locusts

Funeral cultural event

(another note totally unreadable for me, sorry)

_____________________________________

TASKS ACT V

The path through Act V is still largely TBD

In its bare minimum implementation Hämärä Maa could have the same density as the Deserter’s Island finale of Disco Elysium, where the game’s entire conclusion is communicated through a small number of characters – three very extensive and immersive dialogues (one of which is a stylized dream sequence) followed by a posse epilogue. Although railroaded, Disco’s finale had a “page-turning” quality to it that we should aim for as going too much into the mundane idle of the Hämärans would kill the pacing. However, since the entire journey has been about getting to the island, we should give the player at least a little more to see and do than the Deserter’s Island did.

An example of how the task chain at Hämärä Maa could look:

Face Cunoesse’s folks

Find a new home for the Locust City.

Learn how the brew works

Make the brew

Go to the caves

Survive the caves

Bring “Jaakko” to his parents.

Reactivity/Outcomes

Cuno drowns and Cunoesse is this time for real exited by her people

Cunoesse drowns and Cuno returns to Jamrock alone.

ENDINGS

Ending 1 – Jaakko Ending

Location: Hämärä Maa

Cunoesse is alive, Cuno is brainwashed

Notes:

Cunoesse’s manipulations worked. Cuno has fully internalized Jaakko.

The scene closes with Cuno diving dead-eyed among the Hämäran boys. He’s one of them now.

Loss of Identity. No more Cuno-sentences.

Ending 2 – Pale Ending

Cunoesse is dead, Cuno is alive

Location: Tréville, deserted

Notes:

With Cunoesse dead, Hämärä Maa holds nothing for Cuno anymore. He turns back, aimless.

He lands back in Tréville and finds it deserted. The prison has finally moved.

Cuno sits with him. With Cunoesse’s death, Cuno’s prison has left him too. The thing about freedom is that no one tells you where to go.

Cuno waits with the prisoner indefinitely. We fade to white and roll credits.

Ending 3 – Bad Ending

Cunoesse is dead, Cuno is dead

No notes, no location

Ending 4 – Circle Ending

Cunoesse is alive, Cuno is dead

Notes:

With Cuno dead and her plan failed Cunoesse must exile herself from Hämärä Maa again.

She goes into another Murder Hangover, back to sleep and hibernation.

The Internal Skull(?) announces “A new epoch of timekeeping is beginning”

(two another unreadable notes for me)

Ending 5? – New Tribe Ending

Cunoesse is alive, Cuno is alive

No notes, no location

[hallwayheart]

honestly sims 4 just feels like it's running a marathon desperate to implement all these unique features that the previous games had Because EA is so hungry for money & ts4 is it's ever-lasting cash cow. that ea either fails to realise (or doesnt care..) that what we really want is just a life simulator...yes its cool and fun to have werewolves, vampires, fairies, etc. but girl my sim cant push a baby in a stroller. girl my sims cant have physical disabilities. girl my sims cant be representative of EVERY real life group of people & EVERY long-living culture. they cant even go grocery shopping.

yes these are all different aspects of life Some clearly more important to implement than others But they're all real, and i just sit and think to myself that EA doesn't want to make a life simulator game At all they want to make a twisted version of sims 2 & 3 because whoever is sat at the table of EA looked at the success of sims 2 and sims 3 and Saw the wacky charm, the innuendos and the popularity of it among younger people and just...did not age with their audience. They went down this weird, cartoonised, PG route Like their advertising is so goofy, quirky, weird. the game itself has such a strange utopian feel to it that it's almost dystopian but not in the ts2, uncanny valley, Dead end street of gothic suburbia and 'something is off here' vibe It went THE OTHER direction where it just has this dead, brainless feel to it. like there's no substance. Like dead mobile games. and the thing is it genuinely wouldn't be hard for EA to do a full 180 and say okay we hear you, then take more time to focus on each pack, re-fresh other packs, make quality of life improvements to existing gameplay features and bug features but yeah Money money money. the desperate, capitalistic approach EA takes to making this game is the most real thing about it.

[if-whats-new]

What's New In IF? Issue 1 (2025)

By Aj, Dion, Briar and Peter

Now Available!

Itch.io - Keep Reading below

If you read the zine, consider liking the post: it helps us see how many people see it! And sharing is caring! <3

~ EDITORIAL ~

New year, new edition of WNiIF!

We’re excited to continue this project through out the new year! Check out Announcements to read about some changes we’re implementing.

Check out the Events!

Are you looking for new exciting projects to play? Then don’t forget to check out the Events!

Games featured in jams are usually not included in New Releases because there would be too many of them. So if you’re trying to find something new, check there too!

Small Talk with Harris Powell-Smith! @hpowellsmith

We had the absolute pleasure of talking to Harris Powell-Smith and discussing their work. Check out this post to read about their new release Honor Bound and more!

We hope you enjoy this new issue!

AJ, DION, BRIAR AND PETER

~ ANNOUNCEMENTS ~

Most importantly:

WNiIF? is switching to a bi-weekly schedule!

Keeping up with news and releasing a new Issue every week is exhausting. We have decided to change it up a bit, hopefully preventing a possible burnout. We also hope that this will give us more time to make every Issue a bit better.

We thank you for your understanding.

What else?

Our X/Twitter account is no longer active. Please check out our other social media to keep an eye on releases and news.

We plan on releasing a special What’s 2024 in IF? Issue summing up all Issues that came out last year. This will include New Releases, Event Highlights, Columns, Game Highlights and more, making it easier for new readers to check out the Zine. The date of release is not set yet, but hopefully soon!

More exciting stuff is to be unveiled in the upcoming Issues!

~ ENDED ~

Did the start of the new year leave you somber and melancholic? Then check out the Dying Year - Visual Novel Jam to match your mood!

Winter Visual Novel Jam 2024 is here! You have until January 1st 2025 to submit your projects.

Are you familiar with Decker? Then why not take a part in the Deck-Month 2?

Velox Turbo 2 - The Eye of the Beholder is now over and results are in! Check out the results!

The Interactive Fiction Showcase is a year-long "jam" meant to collect and showcase Interactive Fiction games completed in 2024, and show how diverse the Interactive Fiction scene is! This year had an unbelievable number of 270 entries!

Partim 500 numéro 9 is a French language interactive fiction jam, this time with a theme: Dénanti!

~ VOTING ~

Feeling nostalgic about the golden age of text adventures? Relive those days by participating in PunyComp 2024!

IF Short Games Showcase 2024 is a great way to shine some new light on projects made in the past year (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024). You now have until January 15th 2025 to vote.

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Media depicting healthy examples of polyamory isn’t that common. The PolyJamorous 2024 is trying to break the status-quo!

The Queer Winter Game Jam is in full swing. Those interested can submit their work until January 16th 2025.

ShuffleComp is a musical interactive fiction competition where you make games based on songs, which are submitted by other entrants. Creators have until January 20th 2025 to upload their works.

Once upon a time, a game jam was held to create stories around the theme of fairy tales… and that game jam is the Once Upon A Time VN Jam. It’s running from October 1st to January 31st.

Concours de Fiction Interactive Francophone 2025 is for all French-speaking enthusiasts. Submissions are accepted March 3rd 2025.

The Black Visual Novel Jam is all about working with creative professional developers who work in visual novels to bring more Black stories to life. The goal is to create a space where Black creators can show their unique storytelling through visual novels.

SeedComp! is a 2-round interactive fiction game jam, focusing on creativity and the growth of ideas and the Sprouting Round has just started! Check out the Planting round for inspiration.

BL stands for Boys' Love, a genre that focuses on romantic and emotional relationships between male characters. The Ultimate BL Visual Novel Game Jam is all about that!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

Over a year has passed since asking too many murder-related questions online (for your book) got you invited to a serial killer chatroom. You’re now a bestselling writer, desperately in love, and have come to think of the server as family - it's like a dream come true. Sure, most of them still think you are a serial killer, your boss needs you to write another hit ASAP and your one true love is definitely technically a murderer, but look on the bright side - it’s A Very Killer Chat! Christmas!

Jessica Jane Has a Crush!? (Ren’Py) And to make matters worse, a crush on her best friend Rena! Follow Jessica as she navigates these complicated feelings, all while dealing with the struggles of attending an art university and coping with her mum's strict parenting.

Hamlet meets Sharknado. Not Your Mother’s Shire is a dark romantic comedy set in a fantasy world ruled by unusual dragons. Comparables: Dragon Age, Rick and Morty, Monty Python, Discworld, LotR.

Your world is a desert, both figuratively and literally. Speech is prohibited, books are outlawed, and any meaningful human interaction is nonexistent. Humans are reduced to the job they do for The City. There are no names; instead, everyone is identified by a number. You are H-313, a healer. - Viatica (Twine) @fir-fireweed

When the clock strikes midnight, The Dance of the Red Rose Begins (Ren’Py). - Princess Briar is finally of age to attend the illustrious Dance of the Red Rose, having dreamed of taking part since she was a child. There is just one problem, she does not have a dance partner! Will you help her confess her blooming feelings to one of the guests and secure a place on the ballroom dance floor?

Scales of Justice (CScript) - Rumours circulate the streets of Capital. Rumours of an artefact, as dangerous and powerful as one can only fear. Some claim it’s capable of twisting one’s true nature, shaping it much to the owner’s whim; others say that it can identify a soul’s essence, putting the Ritual of Fate in a tight spot for the first time in centuries. Many want to get it; many others, to destroy it. You? You are none of those–you just want to live. And yet, your (almost) safe and peaceful life as a humble adventurer is threatened by a letter with today’s date on it, written in your mother’s hand… @myimaginedcorner

It wasn't long ago that the Mother Superior dragged her out of her cell, forcing Hedwig to break her oath to God as an Anchoress and face the outside world. Acting as a spy for the leader of Linbarrow Abbey, Hedwig was given one seemingly simple task: Discover who really murdered Sister Catherine. In Misericorde Volume Two: White Wool & Snow (Ren’Py), Sister Hedwig must steel herself. Time is running out, and so is sympathy for her situation.

An unexpected apocalypse takes you away from your hi-tech metropolis, sending you to a distant, very different world. In this new fantasy world, elemental magic permeates the soil, Buddhist philosophy leads people’s lives, and Hindu demigods (Devas and Asuras) fight for supremacy. Why did you get here? Is there a way back home? But most of all, is this reality, or is it just a dream? Play Last Dream (CScript) to find out.

It's nearing the holidays and you find yourself with less plans that usual to fill your end of year schedule, as friends are out of town and most of your family is delayed in travels. Being in a season of giving, your bestie is at least appreciative to have you around to cover her shift for one day before she is back from vacation. Serve customers as a barista at the Brewspout -- filling in on one of the busiest days of the year, the Holiday Mixer (Ren’Py) special.

The fledgling Union Army is yet to meet the Confederates in a major battle. The north expects a swift and decisive victory, but they are overconfident. They will soon discover the brutal, drawn-out nature of industrial warfare. As a regimental commander in the Union Army, you must navigate a series of desperate decisions to keep your men alive and prevent military disaster. Serve alongside the real officers and regiments who fought at First Bull Run (CScript) in this historically accurate depiction of the battle.

"The wildest journey begins with a single step. Sometimes that step is straight down into an open trap-door. Commit or stay home!" - Advent Window (Inform 7)

A coincidence lead you and Marley to both find each other online at the old chatroom from when you first met. You had been waiting and trying to get him to listen and talk properly for a long time...

Will your separation be amicable, or will things go too far in Divorce Chatroom (Ren’Py)?

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

Buried beneath the sprawling castle at the heart of Minare is a room most think is legend: the Library of Souls. As a member of the royal cleaning staff—and one with Fae-blood—sneaking into The Eternal Library (CScript) is a dangerous idea, but you risk it for a ritual that gives you the skills of your warrior ancestor and a mission that spans lifetimes. Destiny calls your warrior spirit to wake. Assassins are infiltrating the castle. The kingdom is ripe for change, and it needs your help. Your soul has waited lifetimes for the chance to put things right. Now, it’s time.

You play as a 13 year old girl desperate to get back to her big brother who will protect her in a zombie apocalypse. - Zomrizen (CScript)

Get to know two characters from the upcoming dating sim Love Life + NIGHT LIFE (Ren’Py)! Through this demo, you'll have the chance to ask the characters questions, go on two dates only available in the demo, and even...access their computers?

~ UPDATES ~

After Dark (CScript) has updated their demo. @dalekowrites

Ashenmaw - Dragons of Marrowoods (CSscript) added new content to their demo. @ashenmaw-if

High School Revenge (CSscript) released Chapters 3 and 4.

Lost in your eyes (CSscript) released Chapter 3.4 and 3.5. @kathrinesadventures

Merry Crisis (CScript) released Chapter 5. @merrycrisis-if

Sense & Sorcery (CScript) added new content to their demo.

Shattered Eagle: Fall of an Empire (CScript) updated Chapter 5. @shattered-eagle

Spire, Surge and Sea (CScript) added new content to their demo.

Unneeded Script (Twine) released Part 2 of Chapter 1. @unneededscript-if

Villain Intern (CScript) updated their demo. @villainintern

Voiceless: Siren’s Song (CScript) released first part of Chapter 3.

War of Beasts (CScript) updated their demo.

Exit Through the Gift Shop (CScript) added new content to their demo.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - An affair of the heart (CScript) updated their Patreon demo. @doriana-gray-games

Grey Swan - Birds of a Rose (CScript) added new content to the demo. @reinekes-fox

The Second Sight (Twine) released Chapter 6 on Patreon. @spoiledblogif

The Wroth Ode (CScript) added new content to their demo. @thewrothode-if

~ OTHER ~

The Retro Adventurers - Episode 13 - 2024 Year-End Chatisode is out! Hear about Tim Gilberts' Heathkit, Scott Adams' next professional moves, adventures in ADABAS / Natural, and a long-overdue callback to the Clarion Beauty Computer!

Saturnine (CScript) has received its final content update and it will now enter an “open beta” stage. @satur9-if

@hpowellsmith just released a rundown of CScript releases, new WIPs, and updated WIPs for the whole of 2024!

@interact-if is officially back in business! Good luck to Allie as the new mod!

When Twilight Strikes (Twine) released a Christmas short. @evertidings

~ SMALL TALK… ~

> WITH HARRIS POWELL-SMITH @hpowellsmith

Joining us is an award-winning narrative designer and writer: Harris Powell-Smith, Author of the Crème de la Crème series, “Blood Money” and many more!

⟶ Hello, Harris! Welcome to Small Talk. We are absolutely thrilled to have you here with us! Before we officially begin, would you mind sharing with us a bit about yourself?

Hi! I'm a narrative designer and game writer who's worked on a few indie and mobile games including the multiplayer King of the Castle and the mobile Love Island tie-in game. Currently I'm freelancing and mostly creating choose-your-path text games with Choice of Games, which I've now been doing for eight years.

I'm most known for my dark academia Crème de la Crème series, and most recently released Honor Bound, the fourth standalone game in the series!

⟶ To read the rest of the Interview, check out the Itch version or the separate post! (A new thing we're testing out to make these posts more readable. Please let you know what you think!)

~ MAYBE YOU NEXT? ~

We did not get a submission this week. But if you have an idea for a short essay, or would like a special space to share your thoughts about IF and the community...

Shoot us an email!

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Exit/Corners by Moon Moth Games (???)

A suspenseful VN with puzzles à la Zero Escape. It's got a lot of heart for a death game story.

//submitted by Sera//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserves some highlighting?

An old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Have something to say? Send us a message titled: Zine Letter!

As we end this issue, we would like to thank:

Sera

For sending us a Highlight!

And everyone who participated in our end-of-the-year survey for their feedback and lovely messages.

And as always, huge thanks to all you readers who liked, shared, and commented on last week's issue! What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us!

Thank you for cheering us on this journey!

See you in two weeks!

AJ, DION, BRIAR AND PETER

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2025-ISSUE 1

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

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EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

Contact us through Tumblr asks, Forum DMs, or even by email! And thank you for your help!!

[ddarker-dreams]

In Life, In Death.

Enver Gortash x F Reader.

Warnings: Unhealthy relationships, obsessive behavior, imbalanced power dynamics, manipulation and brief mentions of blood. Word count: 2k.

Control. 

In all its variations, this word is what you associate most with the tyrant hiding in plain sight — Lord Enver Gortash.

If it’s an art form, then he’s a virtuoso. The invisible score he weaves needn’t hypnotize the listener, no, they are drawn in willingly. Lured by innocuous and diabolical plans, shackled into place by unchecked ambition. Though they may feel unique in their role, to him, they’re little notes that shall fall silent once the page is turned. 

The full vision behind the overture is unknown to even you. From the snippets you’ve overheard, it leaves a sinister impression. Discordant harmonies promise a dark future. 

You thought you’d find satisfaction in stilling his tongue. You dreamt of the day, yearned for it, like a bride one night away from walking down the aisle. From your current vantage point, you should be seconds away from fully realizing this goal. The control he exudes over himself and others can’t be infallible. Nothing is. 

If the gods can bleed, then so can he. 

If the gods can die, then so can he. 

If your fellow man can kill, then so can you. 

“One thing’s for certain, dearest,” he comments, his tongue unfettered as ever, “Our evenings together are never dull.” 

Contrary to your wishes, it’s you who is rendered speechless. 

You are hovering above him, the long skirt of the nicest dress you own rising to accommodate the uncomfortable position. Beneath you lies a man whose dark eyes inspire more trepidation across your features than what’s reflected in his own. A perfect politician’s smile accentuates the bags beneath them. The brief struggle — if it can even be described as such — has left his hair more tousled than usual. It’s splayed out against the wooden floorboards of his study. 

When he speaks, his Adam’s apple rises dangerously close to the blade kissing his skin. This is made riskier by how shaky the implement is in your hands. 

“Breathe, darling,” he instructs, stoking your frustration. Only he would have the audacity to make commands of the person holding him at knifepoint. “You’re seconds shy from passing out in a nervous fit. That would be counterproductive to your designs, I take it?” 

Your nostrils flare. “You want to enter the afterlife making insufferable quips?” 

He considers you for a long moment. 

“The delay’s left me with little else to do.” 

“‘Delay,’” you scoff. Your grip around the hilt tightens. “A self-important egoist to the end.” 

“You’ve made up your mind, then?” 

“Long ago.” 

“Hm,” he hums, the low sound resonating in his chest. “I wonder about that. Fantasizing over my death in your head is a far cry from enacting it out yourself.” 

Your eyes narrow into slits. You want to dismiss this as a petty taunt, but you both know that isn’t the case. It’s why his tone lacks condescension — he’s pointing out a fact. Everything is hitting you simultaneously like you’re being doused in an icy pale of water. The soft smile on his face, the steady rise and fall of his chest, how level-minded he remains despite what should be a looming threat.

Then there’s you. 

Sweat beading down your temples, your breathing erratic and your stomach twisting into knots. You’re acutely aware that outside the heavy mahogany doors stands a legion of Banite fanatics. Some disguised as Flaming Fists, the others choosing not to bother. At Gortash’s command, they’d have no difficulty subduing you. The agonies that’d await afterward… you shake your head, willing the thought from your mind. 

Your eyes flicker to the two golden chalices sitting atop his desk. Wanting to build up courage, you downed most of yours, whereas he nursed his. In retrospect, your uncharacteristic indulgence should’ve warned him that something was off. He, playing the kindly host, always offered a vintage bottle during your tête-à-têtes. You rarely took him up on the offer. Alcohol dulls the senses, which you need to keep razor-sharp in his presence. 

“... You saw this coming, didn’t you?” 

Gortash exhales sharply, his eyes gleaming with entertainment. “I expected some form of retaliation. I am the reason your less clever co-conspirators are idling away in the dungeons instead of scurrying about.” 

This makes you bristle.

“They’re my friends, not ‘co-conspirators,’” you hiss, leaning down to glare at him closer. “And they’ve done nothing to earn such a… a… ridiculous sentence! Libel? Treason? Sedition, of all things? What’s next? Blasphemy?” 

“It could be arranged.” 

“Bastard,” you growl. 

“It’s a jest, dear, a simple jest,” he takes a deep breath when you apply pressure to his solar plexus. His eyebrows pinch together from the pain and he coughs. He strains to speak again, though his cadence is unsettlingly calm. “My girl, there’s a great deal in this world you’re ignorant to. Ironic though it may sound now, there was dissatisfaction over your pacifism. Dissatisfaction that almost gave way to drastic measures.” 

Gortash takes your silence as reason to continue. “The Dark Lord and I are in agreement upon your value. The same cannot be said regarding your… compatriots. They lack your finesse — your practicality. Their single-minded pursuit of ‘justice’ had them poking their nose where it doesn’t belong. I can’t abide by such behavior.” 

You grit your teeth. “Then you should’ve come to me, so I could resolve the problem.” 

His response is immediate, requiring no forethought. 

“You’re soft-hearted. Charitable where you should be strict. Why else would they feel emboldened enough to act against your wishes?” 

“I…!” 

He speaks your name, effectively silencing you.

“Answer me this,” his eyes bely a certain intensity that has you swallowing thickly. “How would you see this city become the shining utopia you long so desperately for it to be? Free of poverty, corruption, and injustice?” 

“That’s never the standard I’ve aspired for,” you reply. “If it was, I never would’ve swallowed my pride and worked alongside you. Progress comes in increments. The ills that plague Baldur’s Gate aren’t chronic, the proper alms can lessen the symptoms. Righting the city’s massive wealth disparity is where I’d start.” 

He smiles at you, his eyes creasing with fondness. “My dear, the rich would sooner surrender their souls than their wealth. It’s intrinsic. When faced with outside pressure, they will exert their own, and it will hurt.” 

“I’m aware of the risks.” 

“Are you, though?” He challenges. His voice grates your ears like a drunkard’s warbling. “Your resolve is commendable — I’ll give you that. I have no doubt you’re every ounce of the bleeding heart you present yourself to be. And therein lies the issue. You can’t quell dissent with a slap on the wrist. The bones are better broken, so the hand can never rise against you again.” 

You roll your eyes. “Spoken like a true tyrant.”  

“Is tyranny so terrible?” Gortash cranes his neck upward, forcing you to move your weapon back, lest it break skin. “When I assume the role of Archduke, I won’t inflict suffering for suffering’s sake. The common folk, when left to their own devices, scramble about like livestock; beholden to superfluous pursuits and preyed on with ease. A little order would serve them well.” 

This song and dance rings familiar. 

In undermining his political aspirations, you found your paths crossing more than you would’ve preferred. It’s these ‘coincidental’ meetings that bore what he labels an alliance. You call it a temporary truce. Funds found themselves in the coffers of almshouses, orphanages, and other charitable programs in exchange for your cooperation. Cooperation being loosely defined as a more subtle subterfuge. 

You wet your lips. When did your mouth go so dry? 

“... Truthfully, I’ve never understood why you let a thorn such as myself remain in your side. These aims of yours would’ve been achieved easier with my death.” 

Outside, a bell tolls, revealing the time to be six in the evening. The window pane behind his desk barely muffles the sound of city life. There’s the clank of metal meeting metal and the thumps of arrows finding their targets as the Flaming Fist train. Children can be heard advertising the latest installment of Baldur's Mouth Gazette. A fellow bard strums his lyre and recounts daring tales from Avernus. 

It’s for these folk that you’ve toiled endlessly. You’ve always held the belief that one can rise beyond the circumstances of their birth, so long as they have the resources available to them. It’s a matter of where they get those resources. Amidst the Mistress of the Revels’ enclave, like you, from the Nine Fingers, or worse, among The Dead Three. The options are infinite yet few are good. 

“The answer’s identical to the doubt plaguing you know — ‘what if I’m offing the lesser evil?’” 

Swifter than you can comprehend, his gauntleted hand seizes your wrist. Before a spell can leave your lips, he brings the blade closer, allowing it to nick his skin. Your eyes widen as droplets of crimson gather and trickle down his neck. The setting sun’s rays reflect against the silver weapon, nearly blinding you. When your eyes readjust, you find something about his expression different. Heavier.

“I’ve seen to it that in the event of my death, no harm would befall you,” he speaks without wincing, despite the blade’s tip penetrating his skin. “My estate, research, and Steel Watch; they’d be yours. Whatever painfully altruistic means you put them to are at your discretion.” 

It feels like the air’s been forcefully squeezed from your body. “A bold lie.” 

“In my desk’s bottom-most right drawer, you’ll find a copy of my will proving the opposite.” 

“To what end?” The question comes out breathless. “You’d throw away your life’s work to— to prove a point?” 

He chuckles darkly. “My girl, your ignorance is as endearing as it is perplexing. You can’t see it? The fascination I hold for you that’d drive me to such extremes? My blatant favoritism?” 

Gortash’s grip around your wrist tightens. 

“A death by these untarnished hands…  I’d claim what remains of your innocence for myself. A prize worth the price of admission into the afterlife.” 

Your head aches, throbbing like your brain itself is being squeezed. You break out into a cold sweat. Favoritism? Is that what this is? Can such debauchery align with the word? It’s painfully obvious now; the amusement your indecision provides him. That, along with someone else. Something foreign. A sweet concept that most spend entire lifetimes chasing, twisted into an omen. 

He says your name with enough reverence to stir envy among the divine.

“What shall it be, darling? My ironclad rule or your fleeting paradise?” 

“...” 

Your hand falls limp. 

You wordlessly move to accommodate as he props himself up. Gortash cleans the blood off your knife with a handkerchief. Next, his ornamented fingers find the hair loosened from your updo during the struggle, tucking the stray pieces behind your ear. The interaction feels like it lasts a lifetime. Warily, you eye the weapon in his non-dominant hand. There’s still a chance that this is a ploy, meant to humiliate you in a final violent act. 

As if sensing your thoughts, he raises an eyebrow. “Out of consideration for our partnership, I’ve never done you any harm, have I?” 

“Physical harm is but a single category,” you murmur, the words notably sluggish. 

“True enough,” is his blasé response. He holds his palm open, as if expecting you to relinquish something. When you remain still, he sternly utters your name. “Give me your hand.” 

You obey his command. 

The gold metal forming his claw-like gauntlet is cold against your skin. He closely scrutinizes your hand, manipulating it so he catches every angle. This dedication reminds you of when he’s tinkering with a new invention. The mental notes he takes, how he maps out dimensions and improvements for future iterations. It could be paranoia, but you swear he studies your ring finger with special interest. 

Slowly, while looking you straight in the eye, he presses an open-mouthed kiss against the bruise forming on your wrist.

“Now that that’s settled… was there anything else on your agenda for the evening?” 

[inkinary]

~Edward Hyde~

The WILDER half of the legendary singular duo!

He's finally done! This one fought me to finish but I HAVE CONQUERED the arts to finally put him into inks!

I tried to implement all of my favorite headcanons, features from the book, and even some slight nods to other wonderful Hydes that I have seen! The outfit seen here is his most comfortable attire we see him in within 'Of Skeletons and Closets'!

Some fun Info!

Hyde looks around his twenties, but in reality, is only around 2 years old. He does however have memories of Jekyll's past that are "his" and sometimes struggles to keep their past separate.

The shirt he wears is actually Jekyll's, he got attached to it once he gained his own consciousness, and never gave it back even though it doesn't fit (He uses bandages to make it fit better). He will not part with it either, no matter how many rips it gets. Luckily, he has a good seamstress to patch his clothes.

Hyde's senses are pretty amped up due to his unique existence. He's incredibly sensitive to textures, touch, light, and sound. He is also freakishly strong even though he looks like he's cousins with a twig.

Hyde's emotions tend to be... everywhere all at once. 110% on all fronts, and seems to NEVER tire no matter what. He does tend to have anger issues, and whiplashing emotions.

This man is 4 foot 11 inches. (149cm for my non Americans), he is painfully small, but he doesn't know it.

I tried to give him every feature that would be called "Ugly" in Victorian standards. Scars (One on his left hand, and one across his leg), freckles, red hair, left handed, wrinkled clothes, exposed collarbones (The heathen).

He speaks in a even Scottish accent, since he has no reason to hide it (and honestly prefers it to the stuck up accents of the posh rich)

For some clarity reasons, Jekyll and Hyde in this AU are... not quite separate. They have individual consciousnesses, and memories, but they are inseparably connected in a way that transcends anything known. A strange dance of duality that is somewhere between beautiful and horrifying.

Again, I would love to give a shoutout to my friend @aregularirregular221b who has been a fantastic encouragement to me during all of this!

STAY TUNED!!!

[blacktabbygames]

Are there any features you wish you could had implemented in stp but couldn't for whatever reason?

unique chapter 3's for damsel, prisoner and spectre wish fury den and apotheosis were longer clown princess

[louisupdates]

Louis Tomlinson is featured in Disrupted Magazine [Sep 2024 Issue 21] for his performance at FESTNINGEN FESTIVAL [30.8.2024, Trondheim, Norway].

Louis Tomlinson: Why Taking Care Of Your Fanbase Matters.

Article by Nathalie Knudsen. Photograph by Arne Staverløkk

Louis Tomlinson’s performance at Festningen was nothing short of a testament to the deep devotion of his fans and the profound connection he and they share. Fans traveled from all over the world just to witness his set at the Norwegian festival and began queuing outside the festival grounds at dawn, even prompting security to implement an entirely new queuing system just to accommodate the growing crowd of patient fans. This dedication is a reflection of the unique relationship Tomlinson shares with his fanbase — one that has remains strong since his One Direction days. For them, this was no ordinary festival appearance, but an opportunity to witness the artistry of someone they’ve supported for years.

Tomlinson took the stage relatively early in the day, at 5:30 PM after Ramón’s fiery performance, but the crowd was already large and continuously increasing. He kept his performance grounded in his signature, laid-back style, walking casually on stage for his entrance and keeping interactions with the crowd intimate and personal, even with thousands watching. While some artists may seize a festival setting to put on an elaborate, attention-grabbing show, Louis delivered something far more intimate and sincere. Performing tracks from his solo discography, telling stories of personal relationships and his deep connection with his fans, Louis showcased his rock-infused pop sound, which may surprise those only familiar with his One Direction work. Even when he played some of the band’s classics, they felt re-energized within his solo show, offering a fresh take on familiar favorites. Throughout the set, fans watched attentively, absorbing every lyric and appreciating the genuine, unpretentious nature of his performance. Louis has never been one for showy theatrics, preferring instead to let his authenticity speak for itself. As his performance drew to a close, Louis followed his tradition of jumping into the crowd, blurring the line between artist and audience. It was a fitting gesture for an artist so closely tied to his fanbase, reinforcing the genuine connection they share.

In a way that is only accurate for great live performers, Tomlinson’s songs truly come alive on stage. His music, while heartfelt and introspective, carries an energy that’s best experienced live, and his set left the audience ecstatic and energized. This is an artist who has grown into his own, and he’s delivering shows that are real and authentic, and he is continuously and carefully deepening the special bond he shares with his fanbase. Despite his global success, he continues to prioritize keeping ticket and merch prices as affordable and accessible as possible, doing free signings and making efforts to meet fans after shows. He has always emphasize that his relationship with his fans is a “team effort”, a sentiment found to be true as fans of all ages and from all over the world came to support him at a seemingly random festival in the middle of Norway.  

[mollyjames]

Okay actually, Dandy and I were talking and they do have a kind of insane compromise to the Universes Beyond problem. It's far too late and would never be implemented (and doesn't have quite the same punch in the shareholders meeting), but WotC does have tech for this, built into Magic from its inception:

Their proposal is a roster of different card games using the base Magic ruleset, under the Deckmaster banner.

This would accomplish a few things:

1. It would keep the games separate, which at the end of the day is what I think most of us want. Instead of Magic being all things to all players, it can continue to foster the strong community it has grown over the years, while allowing the UB cards to "start from scratch", without literally decades of power and complexity creep to contend with.

2. Onboarding gets easier. Now new players only have to worry about a limited pool of Marvel cards, or Final Fantasy cards. And since all these games use the same base ruleset, they can swap at any time. And when they're ready, they can dive into the deep end with Magic and its 30+ year history worth of cards.

3. It allows you to focus on each game's unique mechanical identity. You get to pull levers and make decisions you'd normally never get to under the Magic ruleset. Mess around a bit. Marvel doesn't have "Sorceries", it has "Actions". Instead of "Creatures" you have "Heroes" and "Villains". Idk, you get the picture.

4. The games can still be compatible. Now instead of mandatory UB cards featuring in your competitive formats, you get to have a fun casual "super format", where everyone plays what they want. You want new players to be commander players? Well, now you have super commander. It's not perfect (and probably mutually exclusive with point 3), but people enjoy mashing things together so long as they're the ones doing it and it's just for fun.

Obviously this is too little too late, and I'm sure there are plenty of issues with this proposal. But I do wonder if something like this was ever discussed internally.

[suppermariobroth]

In Super Mario Odyssey, the trees in the Mushroom Kingdom room that is a recreation of the courtyard from Super Mario 64 are glitched due to their unique properties whereby they always face the screen ("billboarding").

While all trees act this way in the original Super Mario 64, Super Mario Odyssey only features them in this room, and as such a completely faithful implementation of the trees was likely low-priority. The trees do not retain their billboarding properties in Snapshot Mode, and can actually be seen from the side when the camera is rotated.

This causes a glitch to occur if the camera is rotated while in Snapshot Mode whereby Mario will snap to a tree that he is not physically touching if he is made to perfectly align with it after turning the camera 180°. As seen in the footage, this causes him to teleport and even go out of bounds in specific circumstances.

Main Blog | Patreon | Twitter | Bluesky | Small Findings | Source: kehzou

[synergysilhouette]

Is Disney Animation in it's "Lost Identity" era?

For a few years, Disney has seemed strangely off for the most part with their creative output. I wanted to open the floor for this discussion, opining that after the HUGE success they achieved in the early to mid-2010s, if executive interference and other factors started to encroach upon creative freedom with their storytelling. I was gonna start with "Raya and the Last Dragon," but I opted to start with "Frozen 2" due to the eye-opening documentary on it. This post will include both information about the production of some of Disney's recent films as well as my own theories.

Frozen 2--The sequel to the highest-grossing Disney film ever (not adjusted for inflation), "Frozen 2" was an even bigger phenomenon than it's predecessor. That said, it didn't have as much staying power, with criticism towards the clunky and confusing story. It was revealed during the documentary "Into the Unknown: The Making of Frozen 2" that while wanting to write a more mature, darker story, screenwriter Jennifer Lee was thrown a curve ball when an early screening of the film included families with kids of as young as four years old. She commented that they wouldn't understand what they were seeing, and this proved to be somewhat true, as the kids left feedback for more Olaf. Lee then rewrote the script to be simplified, and included more of Olaf. There was also shown to be a bit of disarray in their studio; other creatives at Disney mentioned the film's confusing nature, and even those in charge of the story were still trying to figure out the kinks. Scrapped concepts (though I'm not sure if they were related to the early screenings) include an alternate prologue with more detail into Agnarr and Iduna's pasts, a scene where Anna and Elsa uncover Iduna's secret room with books and notes on magic, a scene where Iduna and Agnarr discuss telling Anna about Elsa's powers, and a deleted song where Kristoff struggles to propose to Anna (though IDK if this is just for the scene or if it carries on like in the final product). Overall, the desire to come up with something epic as well as Disney's feedback seems to have made this film trip over it's own feet.

Raya and the Last Dragon--First reported in 2018, RATLD is Disney's forray into a fantasy story inspired by Southeast Asian culture. While the diversity was praised, the way it was implemented was not, with East Asians voicing many of the characters, and the film coming off as an amalgam of the region rather than a specific SEA country/countries. While there aren't really notes that suggest too much exec influence, the film did have it's own unique production experience. For one, the film underwent heavy changes seven months before the film was released, including Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins being replaced as directors by Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada, with the former two becoming co-directors, though John Ripa later replaced Wellins as co-director, Qui Nguyen joined Adele Lim as a co-writer, Peter Del Veccho joining Osnat Shurer as co-producer, and Cassie Steele was replaced by with Kelly Marie Tran as Raya (due to changing Raya from a loner to giving her more swagger). That's...a LOT of changes in the crew less than a year before the film is supposed to be released. I do also want to note that they chose NOT to make the film a musical because it took away from the seriousness of the film, yet the film features a good amount of comedy, meaning that there's some kind of dissonance here. It also sounds surprising that Disney wasn't interested in doing another musical given the success their musicals have had throughout their tenure, especially at the time RATLD was set to come out. And the directors even told "Empire" when the film was close to release that there was a cut of the film with broken bones. While they might have been joking (at least the source I saw thought they may have been joking), it wouldn't be surprising if the film came off as too violent to Disney or their test audiences, and they had the story softened. Another thing I find odd is the ending; it's been commented that Namaari's redemption arc isn't really solid, and the message of trusting others ends up being muddled. A personal theory of mine is that the story had better execution of the message originally, or perhaps Namaari was never planned to be redeemed, but Disney wanted a happier ending and either pressed for Namaari to be redeemable or wanted her to be fully forgiven by the end of the film. If that was the case, it may have been a last-minute choice, given that she doesn't really show this in the final product.

Encanto--Given that this film was a critical and commercially successful film (at least for COVID) with staying power, there isn't much for me to note/theorize on the film, since it doesn't seem to suffer from the same issues the prior two films do. After Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Lin-Manuel Miranda discussed having extended families, they opted to focus on a musical surrounding one. Disney resisted the idea of focusing on 12 characters at first (and Miranda wasn't surprised since they removed Moana's 8 brothers, reasoning that she had other priorities to focus on), and like many films, went through variations. Co-director and Co-writer Jared Bush mentioned that it was difficult to contend with, and seeing how condensed Luisa, Isabela, and Dolores' storylines were in the film, I do wonder if Disney continued to pressure them to remove characters and/or shorten the storylines. Given that the Madrigal family was originally much larger and there was a deleted fistfight between Isabela and Mirabel, I wouldn't be surprised.

Strange World--Okay, for this one, I REALLY don't have much to say. The film comes off as very generic, and the concept art and deleted scenes (that I've seen, anyway) don't seem to suggest why Disney greenlit this film, though the generational themes does seem right up their alley, and the environmentalism message is timely. I'd blame it on the massive change done with Raya, as Hall and Nguyen were brought onto that team, and then once that was done, only had about a year left to work on "Strange World," which...well, as "Moana 2" will tell you, having only a year to do things--even with a cool idea--is not going to amount to much success.

Wish--It's all been said before, and there's no defense for why this shouldn't have been spectacular besides exec influence for whatever reason. Deleted concepts here include Amaya as the sole villain, an Amaya/Magnifico villain couple, a removed member of The Teens, Star having a human form and being Asha's soulmate (though what that means is anyone's guess; we were all hoping it was romantic), and Star actually having a model, meaning him being removed was probably a last-minute thing. Add to that the fact that character designs changed, personalities were simplified, and Julia Michaels said that she and Benjamin Rice were only given a storyboard to go off of each time they did the songs, despite meeting with execs every Tuesday. Seeing how bland "Wish" was, exec interference shouldn't be ruled out. Such a shame that Disney did this for their anniversary film.

Moana 2--Originally planned as a TV show announced in 2020, it was revealed on February of this year that it was planned to be reworked into a film, with the crew behind the show only being alerted of this in January. They literally had ten months to refit the series into a film, and I'm sure they still had to deal with pushback. The only reason they were able to do this is because animation usually happens roughly a year before the film is released. As such, they had to deal with technically being behind schedule with their animation, leaving little--if anything--to rewrite and fix.

Overall, it seemed the past half-decade has been turmoil for Disney struggling to give their creatives time and room to breath when storytelling, more concerned with their brand than long-lasting success. Really hope "Zootopia 2," "Frozen 3," and their 2026 original film don't suffer from these issues. Kinda hopeful since Z2 test screenings went well and F3 was pushed from 2026 to 2027.

(Oh, and some shameless promotion for my account: check out how I'd rewrite the revival era, as well as individual posts that go into the specifics on my guide page: https://www.tumblr.com/synergysilhouette/741045631364235264/my-alternate-takes-on-disney-films?source=share)