#... one of which you'll be hearing about in an introduction post similar to the one I made for Valessa and Fortaime very soon...

[interdimensionalspaceworm]

A short musical analysis of ISWM from someone who knows nothing about music

so i'm going through iswm again but specifically listening to the music this time, because i've been watching videos about movie music lately, so despite me knowing absolutely nothing about music i'm trying to pretend i do. ANYWAY.

preliminary findings: Yes, Space Is So Cool is EVERYWHERE. it's in the main theme, it's in the scene at the beginning where the crew give you a toast, it's in the noir world, variations of it pop up in almost all the alternate universes in part 2. at the very end, while the first ships are departing for the new planet, you can even hear a subtle version of the 'millions and billions of stars' part of it, which i had never heard before, and thought was really cool. but it's not the only thing going on.

i've been trying to find musical cues for the crew and... i don't know... i want to say there aren't any, because the musical choices are so all over the place, but there definitely are at least one or two. there is for certain a military-style snare drum thing going on for gunther (go to his introduction in 'wake the crew', when he's talking about going 'rat hunting' in 'call an emergency meeting', and his mutiny) and a cymbals effect used pretty often with burt, though this might just be coincidental (again, in his part in 'wake the crew' and a few times in 'call an emergency meeting'). I can't find much for celci, except for a different, 'techier' version of a track we hear a few times as she appears in 'wake the crew'. I'd argue that 'Space Is So Cool' is Mark's cue, and not only for our Mark but EVERY Mark, since not only does (multiple versions of) Mark deliver its reprise, but we also only ever hear it (afaik) when some version of Mark is with us or near us.

theme music is mostly reserved for important moments, with the rest having subtle or no music at all. it's honestly really inconsistent. there is, however, a definite musical language. the warp core has its own music that plays when we are in 'warp core space' when we get the crystal and again when we meet a dying Lady. the scenes on the invincible often utilize similar sounds and musical style to each other, which i realized as i was writing this is variations of the iswm theme that plays in the credits before the last goodbye. the alternate universes are tied together by the familiar, yet different sounds of the 'Space Is So Cool' variants just as they are thematically tied together by the familiar, yet different variants of Mark in them. Even the false 'good' ending in part 1, where we become paranoid and seal the colony away, has the same music as when we emerge and check on the crew at the real ending in part 2. In the true ending, however, the music eventually turns into a more hopeful piece of music as you realize that everything's genuinely okay.

i could go into how i think the background music also acts as a kind of indicator of the Captain's emotions when they are alone and their hands and movements aren't enough to portray how they feel but that's a post for another day and this one's long and rambly enough as it is.

anyway uh yeah. another layer to an already complex project. look for yourself if you don't believe me... maybe you'll find something i missed!

[imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl]

Love On-Set (Pt. 01 of 10)

Pairing: Dacre Montgomery X Reader

Word count: 3K

Next part (02) ->

Summary: You knew acting on Stranger Things season 3 would be a challenge, and you also knew, from the start, you'd have to work closely with Dacre Montgomery. But is wasn't a big deal for you, since this is your job and you're determined to act professionally. You had it all figured out, or so you thought, until the moment you were out face to face with Dacre. Then, this job became a lot harder than it was supposed to be, since you can't seem to focus whenever you're around Dacre. And you'll have to be around him a lot until the end of production.

{Dacre Montgomery Masterlist}

{Stranger Things Masterlist}

×

First Sight

The minivan stops right before entering the set as the driver speaks with one of the security guards. A huge structure was built around the area, and if it wasn't for the strong lights, you'd be in complete darkness. It's late at night, but yet, there are some journalists and a lot of cameras. They immediately surround the car, trying to see who's inside.

“Vicki, do you think I should go out and talk to them?” You decide to ask her first, because you're not as known as the other actors, and you're not sure if they'd want to talk to you.

“Sure. But don't take long.” She nods, touching the drive's shoulder and telling him to wait.

Taking a deep breath, you push the door open, a smile on your face as the cameras quickly find you. Running a hand through your hair, to make sure it's not messed up, you take in all the microphones and smartphones pointed at your face.

“(Y/N), could you answer some questions?” A short, dark-haired guy asks, a camera flashing.

“It depends on the question, but I'll try my best.” This seems to please them, and you wonder if the others couldn't afford a few minutes.

“Your posted on your Instagram account that you were a Stranger Things fan from season one.” A woman asks. “How was the transition from being a fan to acting on the show?”

“It was fantastic.” The first season of the show was still driving people crazy when you got the call for an audition for the role of Amy Whitehall, for seasons two and three. Vicky, you have no idea how, got in touch with some friends when she heard they were searching of someone with physical traits similar to yours. Thankfully, the audition went well and you got the job. “It's an honor to be part of this masterpiece. The only bad part is that now I have some spoilers.”

“Your character's scene by the end of season two had any interaction with Billy Hargrove, Hawking's bad boy. Does that mean she'll be in any kind of relationship with him?”

For that, you have to think, careful not to say anything that will expose the plot.

People are very interested in Billy, not sure exactly where the character will go from now on, after his introduction on season two. He stole many hearts, for love or hate, dividing opinions. And your character had a short appearance by very end of the last episode, shown in an interaction with him. On her way to the ball, to help Nancy, Billy almost runs her over with his car, after dropping his sister. They had a small dialogue, him asking her to get out of the way and her telling him to look where he was going. Then a pause, a little bit of tension, and that was it.

“I'm not allowed to answer that, but Amy's scene was just an introduction. Her character will be around throughout season three.” Offering another smile, you turn around, giving attention to someone else.

“What will be a new threat? The season finale raised a lot of questions about–”

“Excuse me, excuse me.” Vicky pokes her head out, a hand raised. “I'm sorry, but we have to get going.”

“Aright.” You mumble. “Thank you, guys. Bye.” Politely, you wave at the reporters before going back into the van.

You're soon moving again, leaving the entrance behind and driving in darkness for some minutes before more lights come into your sight until they're all around you. The set was built around a piece of the road, where you already shot earlier this week.

“C'mon, (Y/N). Hair and make-up." Vicky urgers, stepping out of the van with you.

You easily find your way around the set, chatting with people as they do your hair and put the makeup on. There will be a tiny cut above your left eyebrow, and Ron, the guy who always take care of the fake wounds around here, takes only fifteen minutes to get it done. Once you're ready, Vicky guides you to the filming area, and you sit on your chair a few feet away, under one of the many huge tents scattered around the place.

“Hi.” Someone says, and you abruptly look up from your phone, finding your co-star. The only co-star of the day, Dacre. He's already full Billy, with the mullet wig and the leather jacket. “I didn't mean to startle you. Just thought I'd come to say hello before the scene.”

You haven't properly spoken to Dacre. The single scene you made was quick, one of the last, and the set was a mess. So you didn't have the chance to talk, and ever since, you haven't crossed paths with him. But today's scene is all about your characters. Amy's first appearance on season three will have her running from something in the woods, the Mind Flayer, and she crashes her car on Billy's, while he's on the way to meet Mrs. Wheeler. That's it for today, their first meeting.

“Hi.” Smiling back, you shake his hand. “I'm (Y/N).” You decide to remind him.

“I know.” He simply says. “Do you want to go over the lines before the real thing?”

He has such a nice voice, it's impressive. You've watched some of his movies, and he's really good. It's not like you haven't acted before, but nothing so important or famous as Stranger Things. You can't help but be a little nervous. “Sure.” Blocking your phone, you stand up, leaving it on your seat.

“Alright. Let's–”

“(Y/N)! Dacre! It's time, c'mon!” The director calls, cutting you off.

“Guess we'll go straight to the real thing,” Dacre says as you start making your way to where the cars are positioned.

Billy's Camaro and Amy's light green Toyota are placed a few inches apart, the front part already wrecked and a light smoke coming off from under the hood.

“The mechanism will push the cars on each other and the rest you already know.” Your stylist comes to check on you one last time, making sure everything is perfect. When she steps away, you get inside the car.

A few days ago you shot Amy's way over here, driving insanely fast, running from the shadows creeping. Most of the scenes where Amy will be alone were already made since there weren't many. She will be around the others a lot, as the events are unrevealed.

Once you're in the car, you take your time to get into character, ignoring the orders being yelled outside. The lights are turned off, and the road before you is almost completely dark.

“Let's get it started, everyone!” The director shouts. “Action!”

At his command, the car jerks forward.

Letting your head fall on the wheel, you breathe fast, wide eyes acknowledging what just happened, the crash, the smoke, the other car that collided with yours. Looking over your shoulder, you imagine, you picture it coming, moving through the threes, growing closer.

“What the hell!” The voice yells as you try to make your car start again, uselessly. “You could've killed me!”

“Damn it.” Cursing under your breath, overcome by terror, you step out of the car, running around it and into the other one, which is still working, opening the passenger door and rushing inside.

“What do you think you're doing? Get the hell out of my car!” Dacre shouts at your face, in Billy's voice, a little deeper.

“There's something in the woods!” You yell, looking through the rear windshield. “It's coming!”

“Are you crazy or something?! You almost wrecked my car!” As he speaks, you imagine it once again, the tentacles coming from the sky, taking over the road behind you.

Then you grab his arm, squeezing the muscle underneath the jacket. He's in the middle of a sentence when he looks back too, immediately going silent as he's eyes meet the same inexistent thing you're seeing.

“What the–”

“Drive!” You burst out, and the car starts moving.

“Cut!” The director's voice reaches both of you and Dacre hits the brakes.

Relaxing, you let go of his arm.

“That was great, but I want another take. Ryan, turn those lights down.”

The scene is repeated three more times, with different lighting until they finally decide it's perfect. Then the whole set starts moving to the next scene, which is the sequence to what just played out. It'll be shot in a street Northeast from the road, and since it'll play out from the Camaro, you're told to stay in the car as Dacre drives there, following the other cars.

“You did well back there,” Dacre says as you move, taking a different turn from the other cars to reach your mark. The street has a few small houses on one side, which will have their lights on and some people moving inside and on their balconies, and tall threes on the other.

“You too. Hope I didn't hurt your arm, but Amy was terrified.” Shrugging your shoulders, you smile to hear his giggle.

“I noticed.” He says. “But my arm will survive.”

Looking his way, you're able to have a good look at him now. It's a little dark, but you can take in his features. Dacre makes the mullet look good, which is impressive since you absolutely hate the hairstyle. But not on him. Clearing your throat, you look away. “Make sure it will. You'll need it.”

Dacre stops by the mark, everyone apparently already on their positions. “Things are about to get tense for Billy and Amy now.”

“First fight.” You say, taking a look at your outfit to make sure nothing is out of place. “Enemies to lovers is quite a good arch.”

“I like it too.”

“(Y/N). Dacre. Are you ready?” The director asks and both of you give him a thumbs up, hands off the window. The crew with the microphones and cameras are already positioned, ready for the scene. “Alright then. Ready... Action!”

Dacre moves the car forward, just enough to fake it as he hits the breaks. “What was that?” Billy asks, annoyed for some reason Amy wouldn't know.

“I don't know.” With a hand on your hair, shaking a little, you breathe fast, terrified. “Just take me home.”

“Now I gotta drive you home too?”

“Screw you.” The sudden outburst and the disgust in his voice makes you bolt out of the car, keeping in mind not to look at the cameras following you.

“Are you going to walk?” Billy yells, but you don't look back, walking fast, crossing your arms. “Wait.”

“Screw. You.”

“Don't be an idiot.” You roll your eyes when you notice he's coming closer. Dacre grabs your arm, forcing you to turn around. “Are you really going to walk home with that... Thing out there?”

You're confused at his change of moods, pushing your arm away. “Does it look like I have a choice? You just saw that–” You gesture at the threes on the other side of the road. “–and you still couldn't bring yourself to drive a lady home. You're such a gentleman.” Raising your voice, you put the same tone of disgust in your voice that you heard in his. The cameras move a little closer, and you know why. That's when the tension starts, when Amy stands up to Billy. Stepping forward, lifting your head to try and look him in the eye, you put a single finger in his chest. “You're far worse than what people say you are.” You don't get why his eyes make you nervous. Maybe this whole thing is more than you're used to, too big of a production for you after a few years away from the cameras. As much as Dacre's face being so close makes you feel funny, you gotta keep it cool, don't let it show. You're scared, terrified of a monster in the woods.

“Cut the bullshit and let's go.” He takes your arm again, but you refuse to follow him, standing your ground.

“Let go!” You struggle a bit on his grip, noticing how you actually need to act as if it's tighter than it really is. When he turns to face you again, as you struggle, his face comes close again, his eyes filled with Billy's annoyance.

“Get your butt–” Exactly in time, a crack reaches your ears, and both you and Dacre look at the woods with wide eyes, your breaths caught in your throats, unsure of what made that noise, but not excited to find out. “Let's get out of here.”

“Yeah.” You mumble, heading back into the car.

“And cut!” The director yells as soon as you close the door shut. “That was good, but I want another take. I want the same tension you both built on season 2, only now it's stronger, you're face to face. And Dacre, work this out because people need to be convinced Billy likes someone for something else than just fool around.”

You both nod, repeating the same thumbs-up gesture. Taking a deep breath you wait for the sign and starts moving, doing pretty much the same until you're both out of the car, but this time, when Dacre pulls your arm, you act as if the pull was stronger then it actually was, letting yourself collide against his chest before stepping away. “Are you really going to walk home with that... Thing out there?”

“Does it look like I have a choice? You just saw that and you still couldn't bring yourself to drive a lady home. You're such a gentleman.” Instead of just putting a finger on his chest, you push him away with both hands, not keeping the normal distance as doing so, and letting your eyes fall on his unbuttoned shirt for a couple of seconds before raising your them again. You feel the heat on your cheeks, and you know you're blushing. Checking him out was not the intention.

Dacre's eyes meet yours, and for a second they soften before the usual annoyance comes back. You wonder if he's trying to say something, give you a hint about something he wants to do, but you have no idea what it might be. “Cut the bullshit and let's go, princess.” The weight on the last word is different, lower, meant as in insult, an irony.

“Let go!” You whisper-yell, trying to pull away, but you stop when Dacre holds the other arm, trying to drag you to the car. His stare is intense, and the cameras move a little, coming closer, and you know they're focusing on your faces. “Let go.” You repeat, much lower this time, trying to put some distance between you and him, since your bodies are way too close already.

“Get your butt–” The crack again, the stare at the woods, and the sudden change of moods. Run now, fight later. “Let's get the hell out of here.”

Nodding in agreement, you give your arms one last push, and Drace's eyes come back to you as if remembering he was still holding you, finally releasing his grip. You both run to the car and the scene is over.

Despite saying it was perfect, the director wanted two more takes. He wants proximity, touching, anger mixed with a sudden, recently discovered passion from an unexpected connection at first sight. You're happy to hear that you did achieve that, not sure if it came from your skills or the funny feeling you had in your stomach through the scene. It's weird to have someone you basically just met so close, only inches away.

When it's all done, you take off the outfit and put your clothes back on after washing the make-up away. Then you wait for Vicky, leaning against the minivan, scrolling through your Instagram feed.

“Hi again.” You see Dacre approaching through the corner of your eyes, raising your head to look at him. “Have you checked in at the hotel yet?”

“Yes, just before coming here.” All the actors are staying at the same hotel, just so it's easier to gather everyone around when needed, and be sure of the time it gets for them to get on set.

“I came in my car. I can give you a ride there if you like.” As he speaks, you see Vicky coming, talking with the director. Which you still don't know the name yet.

“I came with Vicky, my agent.” Gesturing at her, you feel embarrassed to decline, and you hope Vicky will say something to help you out as she usually does. “Right, Vi?”

“Oh, no.” Waving her hand in a fast motion, she puts a lock of her blond hair behind her ear. “Remember what I told you? Make connections, friends. Don't stick with me during the whole production.” She reaches out her hand and Dacre politely shakes it. “I'm Victoria Klein. (Y/N)'s agent and her mother's oldest friend.”

“Dacre Montgomery.” He simply says.

“You may take her to the hotel. I have some things to do and she needs to rest. Long day tomorrow.”

You just watch as Vicky sets you up as if you're not even there to make your own call. But you're too shy to say anything else, to still refuse Dacre's kindness. “Ok then. See you, Vicky.”

“Have a good night.” She says after giving you a quick hug.

Silently, you follow Dacre through the set to the parking lot. His car is among several different trucks, some of them already leaving. “Nice car.” You tell him as you get into the passenger seat.

“It's rented.” Dacre turns the ignition and the car comes to life. “I can't be without a car. What if I need to go somewhere?”

“Fair enough.”

He drives through the huge set and you fall into a comfortable silence, not sure of that to say. It would help if you could see some kind of landscape or anything at all through the window. Then you wouldn't look like an idiot with eyes glued at nothing but darkness.

“Did you stop to speak to the journalists?” Dacre asks when you reach the exit, waving at one of the guards.

“Yes. You?”

“Yeah. What did they ask?”

“Spoilers.” Shrugging your shoulders, you give him a glance, and he does the same. “About Amy's and Billy's relationship. What can be expected after their meeting in the season finale.”

A low giggle escapes his lips. “Wait until they know.”

“But they will have to wait until next year.”

“You did well back there. You actually blushed. How did you do that?” He stops at the red light, and you feel when he looks at you. Running a hand through your hair, you meet his eyes.

You weren't trying to blush. You just did. “I'm a very good actress.” Giving him a sassy smirk, you see when his lips break into a smile. It's different from Billy's smile, he doesn't act like he's trying to hide some unknown meaning behind it.

“You sure are.” The red light turns green and you start moving again. “Uhm... There will be a kissing scene, you know.” Oh. The kissing scene. You read through it, of course, you just didn't give much thought about it. “Have you ever done a kissing scene?”

“No.” The answer is quick, you don't have to think much. “In my long list of three movies, in two of them my character didn't have any romantic interests and in the other one it was platonic.” Dacre had done it, you remember from some movie, not sure which one. Your mother insisted on watching some of his movies, just so you'd ‘get to know your co-star skills’ before actually having to work with him. But it's different. It's completely different watching a character on screen and then meeting the person behind it.

“Oh, ok. I hope I won't make you feel uncomfortable.”

“Don't worry about that.” You're a professional, and that's your job. It's just a kiss anyways, and the scene won't be shot any time soon. You'll have time to get used to the idea.

“I just think that since our characters arch is connected from now on, it would be good to get to know each other. It helps a lot when the co-stars are somehow friends.”

“Of course.” He has way more experience in this than you, so whatever he says, you agree.

When you get to the hotel, Dacre leaves his car on the underground parking lot, and, despite having his room key, he insists on accompanying you to the reception to get your card. Once you're in the elevator, you rest your back against the mirror, watching the numbers as they light up.

“We should exchange numbers,” Dacre says, turning to look at you. “In case some of us need to go through the lines or work on something.” He shrugs his shoulders, the light fabric of his white shirt moving. “It's a thing among us. You'll be invited to a lot of parties like that.”

“Sure.” Taking your phone off your pocket you unlock it and hand it over to him as he does the same. Quickly, you type your number and save if on his contacts list.

“That's my stop.” He says when you reach the 14th floor. “See you tomorrow.”

“Good night.” You mumble, waving at him as the elevator door closes again.

The first thing you do when you get to your room is kick off your shoes, already undressing to hit the shower before throwing yourself on bed. It's very late and you won't have many hours of sleep. You're halfway to the bathroom when you take your phone to put on some music. But you don't recognize the object in your hand. After a moment of confusion, you realize it's Dacre's phone.

“What now?” Stopping on your tracks, you start making the way back and gathering the clothes you left on the floor, putting them on again. Since you don't know the number of his room and knocking from door to door is ridiculous, you decide to call reception and just ask. But on your way to the landline they have near the couch, Dacre's phone starts ringing. You were wondering who would it be when you read your own name on the screen.

“Oh, hi.” You're quick to pick up. “I guess you have my phone.”

“Yeah, I got lucky it didn't lock, or else I'd have to call reception asking for your room.” His voice gets a lot darker through the phone. “Would you tell me which one is it? I'm already heading to your floor.”

“1703.” Already making your way to the door, you hear the soft beep of the elevator's doors opening.

“I'm almost there.” He's still speaking when he turns the corner, getting into your sight. You hang up, a shy smile on your face. “Sorry about that.” He hands you over your phone and you give him back his.

“It's alright. We're both tired.” You expect him to just say good night and leave, but he doesn't, shifting his weight from one leg to another.

“Have you met the others yet? Natalia, Joe, Millie...?”

“No, not yet.” You've heard they are very close, and you're the new girl in set. Saying you're nervous doesn't get anywhere close.

“I'm your only friend so far then.” Dacre states. “I'll break the ice with the others, don't worry.” He smiles again, and now, under the bright lights of the hotel hall, you can see his face perfectly. His blue eyes, a lot kinder then they were earlier today when he was Billy.

“Thanks. Guess I'll see you tomorrow then... Pool scenes.”

“Pool scenes.” He repeats. “I'll leave you to sleep now. Good night, (Y/N). Again.”

“Good night, Dacre.” Standing by the door, you watch as the walks away, towards the elevators.

You're about to head inside when, just before he turns around the corner, Dacre gives you one last look, a smile coming to his lips when his eyes meet yours.

×

@baker151910 @shinydixon @dreamin-of-dacre @hanoi15 @lickmymelanin @skykittysstuff

[realityshiftingandblogging]

Dreaming, An Explanation

Okay before I start, I had this posted on Amino a while back so if you go "hey I've seen this on Amino-" that's because it's my post. If you need further proof I'll log in and screenshot XD

I wanted to make this to show others valuable information and maybe clear up how the dream process works! Before anyone asks - yes I did write this. These are my NOTES from the book I was reading. You can find it here: https://books.google.com/books/about/500_Dreams_Interpreted.html?id=g-TqtgAACAAJ

Obviously I do not claim to have a scientific discovery on any bit of this information (lol), it's public information.

I've collected, gathered, and put into my own words. If I had to copy it word for word I have "quotations" and things like "(from the book.)" Also, you'll see me say "quote on unquote." If anything wasn't quoted, I sincerely apologize in advance. I hope you get any answers you have needed, and that this isn't too boring! The whole point of this was to give information on dreams and how make the most of them. I never really understood (until a few years back) why we lucid dream and how it works. Why does it do this and is there anything that triggers it? So here is what I learned and what I also got from the book! (I really hope you find answers because this took....8 hours? To write?) So in other words, I hope this clears things up for you!

Side note: The images are sort of like borders?? I hope they don't bother you. And there are a lot of grammar errors so 🧍🏻‍♀️

Introduction

Dreams can be used to communicate and discover important things about yourself. The process happens when the deepest part of your subconscious, that processes the dream state, sends messages to you - which can be symbols, actions, people, or images. What happens in a dream is usually not meaningless, but it can be confusing at times! These messages are meant to help you evaluate and discover what you are doing right and wrong.

Dreams can consist of personal experiences which are why when your subconscious messages you, it can consist of things that are personal to you. (Such as memories, beliefs, and other things like fantasies and expectations.) This is why if you learn the meanings of your dreams and discover how to use them, you can become better at what you do and achieve a higher level of inspiration and encouragement.

-----

“When you go to sleep, where do you really go?”    ― Brian Lovestar

-----

The way to unlock the meanings of your dreams is to realize that

¹ They are not a one-way experience in which your dream self bombards you with information.

² Dreams are not lectures, they are dialogues between your conscious and subconscious minds. The dialogue is created from your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Your dream self then uses this information to create visual pictures to show you what you feel and how you perceive things.

Once you begin to interpret your dreams you will recognize attributes that may not be serving you in the best way possible/positive way. Once you interpret your dreams and learn - you’ll find it easier to face fears and overcome personal challenges. With more practice, you can learn to program and/or “incubate” your dreams to address a very specific problem. Because dreams generally have multiple levels of meaning, the more work, and effort you do, the better.

Why do we dream?

This has no definitive answer, though as far as speculation goes - it's to rejuvenate and repair the body. Others say it’s purely phycological; to review the daily events, relieve the mind, and to release emotions. Here are a few explanations...

Compensation

Carl Jung, a psychologist, believes that we dream to compensate for underdeveloped personalities. His reason is it may explain why the dreaming behavior of some is obviously different from the ‘them’ they personify while awake.

Processing

This suggests that dreams organize and process the conscious and unconscious mind that it received during the day. In other words “refreshing the mind.” And again, in other words, “rebooting/turning it off and on again.”

Coping

Ernest Hartmann, a psychiatry professor, suggests that dreams are projected by certain emotions. The new material is “weaved” into the memory of said dreamer in ways to help cope. In ways such as stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, etc.

Activation Synthesis

In this theory, Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley say that dreams are due to “sensory-motor signals.” These areas activate small parts of the brain that affect memory, emotions, and physical feelings. In this, it creates dreams in relation to the sensations and signals sent.

Resolution

Some scientists believe in this theory: the theory that dreaming is a problem-solving use. They suggest that when we sleep, our brain continues to process all issues of concern that we deal with in our waking hours. In this, it makes up solutions.

So what does happen when we sleep? That we know of?

When you go to bed at night you are alert. The reason is that your brain is still producing a small signal - a beta wave. As you begin to fall asleep these waves slow down and become ‘Alpha Waves.’ When this happens you might experience what’s called “Hypnagogia.” This is the experience of auditory and visual hallucinations that make it hard for you to fall into a “deep sleep.” As others may know it, it can cause Sleep Paralysis and Lucid Dreaming! As Google says: “Hypnagogia is the experience of the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep in humans: the hypnagogic state of consciousness, during the onset of sleep. Mental phenomena that occur during this “threshold consciousness” phase include lucid thought, lucid dreaming, hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.” During the process of attempting this...some people reported hearing their name called, seeing random patterns, and body jerks (which are called myoclonic jerks.) When you’re in this stage it’s as if you’re fighting to stay awake. But actually, this is the first step of sleep.

Every night your body switches between a cycle of REM and NREM states. This happens around every 90 minutes or so, you switch between light sleep and deep sleep and the cycle continues. It supposedly happens around 6 times a night (but varies depending on how long you sleep at night.) The changes between REM and NREM are found by the change of your heart rate, brain activity, muscle tension, and body temperature.

NREM Sleep

State one: In this stage, you should begin to drift off. Your muscles relax, your body temp and blood pressure decrease, and you breathe slowly. As the production of Alpha waves begin to slow, your awareness noise, light, and feeling begin to zone out. Your eyes would exhibit slow movements and this is an easy state to awake you from.

State two: If stage one is undisturbed, state two will enter the stage. In this, you will feel a deeper sense of relaxation and like before… All blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and temp decrease. Your brain produces slower theta waves which will soon introduce “sleep spindles.” Sleep spindles are higher forms of activity. This process usually lasts 10-20 minutes.

State three: This is a deeper form of sleep. You couldn’t be awakened very easily from this state. Yet again temp, blood, and heart rate decrease. Your brain should still be producing theta waves, which gradually change to lower and larger delta waves.

State four: State four is when you are sleeping deeply now but not dreaming. In this stage, it’s difficult to be awoken due to your body’s sensitivity level. In this stage, most of your brain waves are delta waves now.

Back To Rem

Around 20 minutes after being in stage 4 of NREM, your cycle goes back to states 2 and 3. But you won't return to stage one and wake up. Instead, you will just go to REM sleep. This is called “prime dream mode.” The electrical waves/movements in your brain put you in a state similar to being awake. Your eyes will move from behind the lids. Research says this is because your mind is focusing on the dreams. During this, your heart rate speeds up, oxygen increases and so does your temp. After this REM is induced and what is commonly referred to as Sleep Paralysis will begin. This is when all muscles in the body are immobilized. As far as we know - it’s believed to prevent us from “acting out” in our dreams and hurting ourselves.

----

Side Note

This happens multiple times a night. The more time you enter State 4 sleep, the more rejuvenation you receive. The more time you spend in sleep, the less time that 3 and 4 will happen and gives you more time to spend in REM/dreaming stage. Also, from the reading, they say early morning dreams are more vivid and happen longer.

----

End of the dreaming

When you begin to wake up, you’ll experience “hypnopompia.” This is very similar to hypnagogia, This stage leaves you disoriented and makes you feel “loopy.” It could make you feel like there is pressure on your chest and sometimes causes you to feel, see, and hear things. Such as someone walking into your room and standing there. This process can be described as your mind waking up before your body does. Many times this does happen, but we have no memory of it ever happening. But when people do remember they describe it as frightening or disturbing. If you do happen to experience this, it’s said to remain calm and your body will eventually wake up.

How can you recall your dreams?

The first good step is to keep the visual fresh in your mind! As well, try to remember as many details as possible. Despite whether you only remember fragments or “none at all.” There are a few fun activities you can do!

Window of Opportunity

This method is intended to improve your observational skills, which does improve dream recall. Pick a comfortable spot to sit in, specifically near a window. You need the window. Take a few moments to unwind and relax. Just let your gaze look wherever you like - as long as you're looking at what’s out there. Notice as much detail as you can while being focused. BUT do not feel stressed by it. Don’t “worry” about it either. Just focus on the details. Take in as much as you can like… what color is the sky? Are the trees yellow and brown or green? Are there people? If so, what do they look like? What are they wearing? Once you are done with the scene and you feel comfortable, bring out a notebook and write down every bit of information you remember. It doesn’t matter the order and neither does it if you don’t remember something specific. It can be general things if that’s all you remember. Also, note the emotions you felt as you looked at certain things. Were you tired? Happy? Wanting this to be over? Write that down. If you’re artistic, you may sketch it! Sometimes sketching the scene may help you remember things you didn’t recall before.

Dream it up a bit

After this exercise, you might want to do better/enhance the skill. When you do, you should try being “more creative.” How so? Make it more “dreamier.” Pretend you are actually there in the scene. Strolling a path, smelling the roses, looking at the lake, etc. Once you’re done, jot it down. Remember to do this in the present tense. Write the details of what you saw and then implement yourself into it - just as you imagined.

Rewrite

If gazing out of a window is not something you want to do. There is another way! To do so you need to recall an event that happened in your day and pretend like it was a dream! Write it down in the present tense. Here’s an example: You went to eat lunch. Since you did you need to ask these questions:

•What time do I leave and arrive?

•What am I wearing?

•What’s the weather like?

•What day of the week is it?

•How am I feeling?

•Do I speak to someone?

•How do I travel?

•Am I alone?

You can do this for however long you’d like. Recalling all of these details as if they were a dream helps your mind remember said dreams.

Suggestion/Affirmations

Yep! Suggestion! This is effective and simple. All you have to do is, very often, suggest to yourself that you WILL remember your dreams. You can post reminders on your phone, ask someone to say “hey you're going to remember your dreams” every so often, or even use a “suggestion trigger.” A suggestion trigger is something to remind you to repeat your phrase. A good “suggestion trigger” is whenever you check the time!

Dream Journals and Sleep

Dream journals are your own personal journal and there is no “right or wrong” way to keep one. It’s made based on what you observe from your dreams. Simply put. The most important part of keeping one is that you feel comfortable with it. Here are a few small suggestions before going to bed:

Pick one that suits you.

Yes, it may be nice to buy one of those fancy dream journals that are marketed as such. But you may get it and spend money on something you really didn’t like. So go with what suits you and makes you comfortable.

Prepare yourself and your place.

Avoid anything strenuous before bed and avoid anything that might disrupt your sleep cycle. If you are a tidy type and need a clean room, then tidy before bed. Be sure the room is the right temperature for you and get into something cozy. You may be too lazy to do so but this will help your sleep and your remembrance of detail. It will also make sure you won’t be distracted by small annoying things.

Place the journal near you when you sleep.

Also, keep a pen! If you wake up at night you can write it ASAP.

Before going to bed, open to a new page.

Note where you are and where you live, the date, the time, etc. Leave a space at the top so you can title it later depending on the dream you had. Summarize all events of that day you can think of and write down your reminder phrase! It is optional if you want to include your mood and your health state. Before going to bed, repeat your reminder phrase

Upon Waking Up

Set your clock 15 minutes earlier than your normal wake time. This gives you more time to write your details. If possible, wake up to classical music or radio. Alarms cause sudden noises and sudden noises have been proven to make you forget dream memory upon waking up. As you begin to wake up, lie down, and keep your eyes shut. This will help “cement” the details into your subconscious. (Supposedly.) Without trying to change or manipulate any thoughts, try to recall the details of your dream When you feel comfortable enough, start writing anything you remember. Write in the present tense. Try to relive the dream as you write it. You can start anywhere in the dream, even go backward. The more important aspect is keeping somewhere to relive. Once you finished you should write the time you woke up and choose a title. Assigning a title and table of contents will help your mind's ability to make connections.

Dreamwork during the day

If you couldn’t recall your dream, take some time (when you can) to write about what your day as if it were a dream. Just like what we mentioned above. To “enhanced” this exercise you can imagine that you really did recall something. For example (come from the book): “I awake with a vague feeling of having been in a sunny place. There are brightness and warmth.”

Dream Incubation. What is it? And how do I use it?

Around the world there are places called “Dream temples” These temples were made in the honor of Asklepios, the god of healing. Snakes were allowed to move freely around these temples because it was believed they were secret symbols to evoke the powers of gods. As you may know, there is a popular symbol of snakes. The Caduceus! It’s two snakes wrapped around a staff. This is mainly based on the symbolism that snakes are “healers.” Both emotional and physical. Dream temples were most often placed in a rural area away from loud places. Many people would travel, even from long distances, to stay in these places to receive answers or enlightenment. These temples had a set intention for visitors/seekers to clarify the outcome they wanted. Because of the focus and encouragement received from the temples, it’s said it’s not unusual to receive the specific message they looked for. Not all cultures and places had these temples, but it didn’t stop them from Dream Incubation. (More on that in a minute). The Egyptians wrote the questions they wanted on linen and tied it around the wrist while meditating. Some soaked it in oil and burned it with incense while praying. Then they went to sleep, expecting the answer.

As you know, these days you can’t go to your local supermarket and pass by a dream temple. But, dream incubation is still widely practiced. People still to this day to "program" their dreams.

Your Temple

When trying to induce your routine to practice dream incubation, it can be simple or complex. Whatever you find comfortable. The temple of yours can be anywhere you find comfortable and where you are willing to practice the routine. (Such as writing, scripting, daydreaming, etc). But the main idea is to focus on your desired message.

Here are a few steps:

•Choose your phrase

•Form a clear intention

•Prepare your mind

•Get comfy

•Relax

•Visualize your dream’s solution (Ex: reading it, having the advice handed to you, seeing the answer played out in your very own personal “dream drama.”)

•Think about your reaction to the answer

Incubating dreams

When incubating your dreams you need a pre-set idea. Where do you want to be? In what way do you want your answer given? What symbols represent this? Afterward, start daydreaming about it, try to feel whatever it is that would be around you. Choose phrases that will affirm that it’s what you will dream of. Repeat that as many times possible. Often reflect on how it would feel being there and when you wake up and log as usual. But because you are programming this yourself - there may be nothing to interpret. But it will induce what you wanted to see. (A/N. As I’m reading this book and typing these notes I'm realizing how close they were to figuring out the shifting process. I-. Bye-). But take this moment to think through what happened, there may have been a messaged slipped in.

Lucid Dreams (Fun Fact!)

Believe it or not, the earliest record of lucid dreaming was recorded in the 4th century B.C. This happened when Aristotle, himself, was writing his work ‘On Dreams.’ He said quote on quote “For often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream.” In 1867 Hervey de Saint-Denys wrote “Dreams and How to Guide Them.” This book was intended to show you the techniques he used to achieve a state of realization.

To Lucid Dream

When you lucid dream, you can do anything you please when you realize it is nothing but a dream. So how can you tell if it's a lucid dream? How do you lucid dream? Well, there are multiple ways.

Record it.

Record what you remember. Like we talked about with a dream journal.

Power of suggestion.

Even a simple phrase that “I am aware I am dreaming.” Is simple enough! Repeat this during the day and at night.

Checking your reality.

A commonly favored thing is “reality checks.” This requires you to test your surroundings and ask if they are real or not. If you notice something is off, it’s possible you once played it off. But if you looked closer, it was a dream.

Look for inconsistencies.

It’s found that a few things do not remain consistent in a dream. For example lights, watches, the time, sounds, etc. Because these changes are not normal, you know it’s just a dream.

Now that there are tips to know if you’re in a dream; Here are some to help you practice lucid dreaming/become in the state.

Visualize your everyday life (when awake) like a dream! Convince yourself as every small thing is just a dream. Whenever you’re doing something, take a look around and think of it as a dream. Believe that everything you do can be changed because you will it. Daydreaming the small things have changed will help as well. The tree outside? It’s not dead. It’s in full bloom! These practices are intended to help you make conscious and unconscious choices.

[zarathelonewolf]

KNY AU _ PLANET X

A Guide to Relations for Young Aspiring Ambassadors

blog run by Akaza, Ambassador and Heir of the Soyama Minor Clan

I hereby welcome everyone who is starting to read this blog I have created to aid all the young students that attend my classes at Tokyo's Academy for Intergalactic Endeavors.

I bet you're already bored by reading this introduction.

You know what?

To hell with formalities, really.

Hi everyone! Welcome to this blog. It's me, your favorite Inter-Species Relations teacher (and Dance Fighter, admit it)!

In this first post, I will lay out explanations on pretty much everything you need to know about Eay Folk, Inner Energy (also known as Synee), rituals, Dance Fighting and Dueling!

Other from the well evident notion that the Eay Folk are allies with humankind and twenty other sapient alien species, they also hold control of a bigass empire.

The Eay Empire.

I won't bore you with its full story: our empire goes back many, many, many (help me say many) millennia, and its development is very, um, "complicated" to say the least. I'll let your History teacher tell you the specifics, or else you'll all be asleep in a few minutes!

I will however tell you something more about my kind, since I hear you guys call by body the equivalent of a basketball because of my "stripes" every now and then as I teach.

We'll start with Inner Energy, Synee in Mother tongue, its usage and what the markings (markings, not tattoos, and for the love of Mother of All not STRIPES or CIRCLES PLEASE-) owned by us Eay, and many Hybrids, have to do with it.

Every Eay has Inner Energy, which is a bit hard to explain but is, in instance, pure charges of energy that can be stored and released by our bodies, depending on intent or mood.

It can manifest in the form of daggers, waves, lighting bolts, flames, even freaky tentacles if so desired, but most only spread it outwards in the form of an aura that surrounds their bodies. It usually emanates from markings on our bodies, which are like zebra's stripes: unique for every individual.

(I called them stripes to make a comparison: do NOT call my markings stripes please i swear to Mother of All and to every human God out there-)

Inner Energy can have different shades of colors, some even have two tonalities, and the algorithm it follows, called Flow, is unique for each Eay.

It is however true, just like markings now that I think of it, that the Flow of those who are related is very similar. It is a reason why, to find lost relatives, one merges their aura with the other. Auras can be merged to send messages telepathically or feelings as well.

Some Energy Flows are unstable ever since birth, or they become so during life; it is known that the majority of Hybrids, born from a human and an Eay, have extremely unstable Flows that need to be, in the worst cases, contained with specifically designed restraints. There are also many therapies that need, however, to be carefully followed... unless one wants to risk a painful death going KABOOM after a seizure.

This kind of instability isn't always, but could be, related to deformations of the body, and influence a lot of the mind as well.

Such instability can also appear in the form of the so called "stall" in slang, but the terminology I want you to use for it is Grief-Sleep : it happens when Eay detach themselves too much from the reality after the loss or separation from a loved one. The victim will disconnect completely once or twice a day, more times a week, without being able to answer the world's stimuli and to reciprocate interaction. No one really knows what happens during this disassociation, because none of the victims have ever been able to remember what they saw during it and what had exactly triggered it. In some cases, these episodes won't just stop happening a year or two after the trauma; they will become even more frequent, long, and the victim could even become stuck and consequently die. These extreme cases happen when the victim doesn't accurately follow the therapy.

See kids? Therapy helps! OK, maybe there are some methods that aren't good and that have repeatedly proven to be bad and yikes, but those that actually ARE good? Don't be that hateful towards those! I still don't know how some cultures push their followers to still see mental health as not that important or, why they exactly keep convincing them that psychology is bad or "humiliating"... Trust me, it's UPLIFTING sometimes. It can raise you from a really bad spot when you fall too hard on the ground.

So... Inner Energy is called Synee because the term means "blood", because of the fact that it "flows through our bodies like blood", and the teachings related to its usage are named Synee Arts. Dance Fighting and Dueling are some of them.

Before we talk about them, I'd like to give a spotlight to the relevance of Eay Familial Bonds (the family, practically) : when a Eay or a Hybrid loose someone dear or experience great pain, of any kind, those that are related to them WILL feel it. It won't be as intense, but they will perceive what is going on even if very far away.

Now... About Dance Fighting... My favorite Synee Art!

It consist in a ritual dance that involves a series of movements that are powered by usage of Inner Energy: the more the moves and Inner Energy are in sync, the more they follow the rhythm used and the more inspired they are, the better the Dance Fighter is. The best ones can also convey feelings as they move and influence the other Dance Fighter, and be perfectly synchronized.

Dance Fighting has been used since some millennia by Eay to settle disputes and communicate with other species. It is a way more peaceful method than Duels, which were utilized to decide pretty much everything in ancient times, sometimes with the death of the Combatants themselves. Since the Eay Empire hasn't conquered anyone in the last five millennia, and are way more diplomatic and only annex other systems to their Empire, you can understand why Dueling has fallen out of touch.

However, depending on the Eay culture one belongs to, there are different kinds of approaches to Dance Fighting and Dueling both.

Axyans have always preferred the concepts of glory, duty, strength of self and of the family and the Clan, authority with alien species, and they still practice Dueling for sport in special Arenas. They also do not like Dance Fighting that much, but you can bet I saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni using some sweet moves when he first saw his wife, so that he could impress her! She answered, too! You won't believe me when I tell you that Kokushibou had stared at them as if they had grown a second head!

Erm, moving on. We Exyans use Dance Fighting the most, some make it their only vocation. It is very helpful once taught to other species, because it helps to communicate without really having to know each other's languages perfectly. There are many styles to learn, but it is a very interesting experience and it helps create strong bonds with others and with the inner self. I also do it just for fun sometimes: I challenge pretty much everybody that seems interesting, or not having a good day, and teach anyone willing to learn. I have also gotten myself a few friends among humans doing so: they may not be the best at it because they can't use Inner Energy naturally and they have to simulate it, but some of them are really good at it.

And then we have the Yxyans. Honestly, I like the guys, but I really can't stand Douma. You know, the guy from Nibiru Station? I really... just... can't stand him. He giggles too much even at things that aren't funny, always has that smile on his face, and it gets goofy Ina way I can't stand every time he does one of his pranks. I like the fact he wants to interact with humans, since all the other Yxyans are pretty detached towards alien species, but he's too childish at times. We also always come out even when we Dance Fight, which is frustrating. Yxyans don't Duel or Dance Fight much, but the direct relatives of their Great Clans' Supreme Chief need to have absolutely perfect skills. Also, since they are very religious, they prefer to Dance Fight privately or during ceremonies.

There are also many other cultures with other attitudes, but I can't tell you everything right now can I?

Don't worry: we'll have all the time in the world to study this stuff when the lessons truly start in a few months. Until then keep this post as reference...

And for the love of the skies over us, my markings do not look like a basketball!

Fiercely, Hakuji "Akaza" Soyama

Author's note: this, just like the articles posted under the same three tags this post is signed with, is a very important text for my KNY AU. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY, IT HAS A LOT OF LORE! IT'S LIKE A PROLOGUE OF THE PROLOGUE

[patternsintraffic]

My 100 Favorite Albums of the 2000s: #60-#51

Last post of the first half of the list! Music: it's good!

60. The Used - The Used (2002)

Looking back now, it's insane to think that The Used were a mainstream band in 2002. Not only that, but "A Box Full of Sharp Objects," one of the most hardcore songs on the album, was a major radio single. The video was frequently played on MTV! Nowadays a vocalist screaming his lungs out like Bert McCracken couldn't poke an airwave with a 16-foot pole. But it's undeniable that the band had the intensity and the tunes to deserve the recognition. Not only was McCracken one of the most talented screaming vocalists the scene had heard, his clean vocals soared and soothed. The melodies, no matter how they were delivered, were catchy as hell. I'm not a fan of the term "screamo," but this album is the best of the genre.

59. Radford - Sleepwalker (2004)

Radford were one of many alternative rock bands that were signed, released a few albums, and disappeared without ever making much of a name for themselves. I never would have heard of this band if it weren't for a website called Alternative Addiction, one of a number of sites that I would visit religiously in the middle of the decade to find and consume as much rock music as humanly possible. (I checked and was sad to see that the site recently shut down in 2020.) It's hard to explain what differentiates Sleepwalker from the hundreds of similar albums by similar bands during this period. The songs are just well-written and captivating, and hard to get out of your head. They also feel important. Check out "Fake a Smile" or "Out of the Dark" and maybe you'll see what I mean.

58. Army of Me - Citizen (2007)

I became familiar with Army of Me as a local band (they were formed in Washington D.C.) before they signed to Atlantic Records and recorded Citizen. While the local ties put the band on the map for me, these songs didn't need any help to get into high rotation on my iPod. "Going Through Changes," "Meet You at the Mouth," and "Still Believe in You" are pop rock perfection, and "Rise" and "Saved Your Life" prove that the band is just as effective with acoustic guitars. Songwriter Vince Scheuerman has that It Factor that can turn a few simple musical ingredients into a transcendent pop song. It's an incredibly rare skill that, to me, is one of the most impressive natural gifts in existence.

57. Sugarcult - Palm Trees and Power Lines (2004)

Ocean City, Maryland. A bunch of high school kids on summer break, headed to the boardwalk. This is the carefree, sundrenched memory that comes to mind whenever I think about this album, which was blaring in a friend's car during one such trip. Songs like "Memory," "Back to California," and "Destination Anywhere" were the perfect soundtrack to that time and place, and now it's impossible to separate the music from the nostalgia. But that's the beauty and the power of music; the kind of connection that I still seek out, even as the passing years make it harder and harder to find.

56. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (2005)

While it would have been cooler to say my introduction to Death Cab for Cutie was the indie classic Transatlanticism, I wasn't fully on board until "Soul Meets Body" and "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" made Death Cab a household name in 2005. Plans opens with the resplendent "Marching Bands of Manhattan," and doesn't let up with the plaintive arrangements and aching lyrics. This album was a high school emo kid's dream.

55. Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane (2002)

Before Adam Levine became a famous reality TV personality and Maroon 5 became a juggernaut of contemporary pop music, they were a little-known band playing a soulful brand of funk rock that was unique for the musical landscape of the early 2000s. I remember hearing "Harder to Breathe" in 2002 and thinking it didn't sound like anything else that was being released at the time. Of course, "This Love" and "She Will Be Loved" eventually followed and took Maroon 5 to a level of stardom that I never expected. Even the album cuts like "Tangled" and "The Sun" are standouts on this album. It's a shame that the band's signature sound seemed to dissolve album by album until we ended up with . . . whatever it is they're pumping out today.

54. Our Lady Peace - Gravity (2002)

Our Lady Peace are an institution in Canada, but they haven't found the same level of success in the States outside of a few hit singles. One such single was "Somewhere Out There," which led me to purchasing Gravity. While I've since found out that this is probably their poppiest and most straightforward record (I don't accept either of these descriptors as criticisms), at the time all I knew was that I liked these heartfelt tunes with the soaring choruses and heavy guitars. I recently picked this up on vinyl and the songs hold up impressively well. "Do You Like It" and "Bring Back the Sun" are my darkhorse standout tracks.

53. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005)

This is the album that opened my ears to the genres of folk and country. Bright Eyes was a Big Deal in 2005, so it wasn't like I was going out on a limb by checking out this release, but it was pretty far out of my comfort zone at the time. It quickly became a gateway to the twangier side of rock. Conor Oberst had familiar and relatable desperation in his lyricism, which paved the way for my acceptance of these quiet acoustic songs with slide guitars. When I got married in 2017, my wedding party entered to "First Day of My Life." A little cliché, but deservedly so.

52. New Found Glory - Sticks and Stones (2002)

When I was an underclassman in high school, Blink-182 and New Found Glory were probably the two most widely-accepted bands among my friends and acquaintances. "My Friends Over You" and "Head On Collision" absolutely ruled the radio in 2002, and that was still where I was getting most of my music. Though the band has rehashed the same sound a bit too often for my liking in the intervening years, I can't deny how much time I spent with this album. And "Understatement" still bops.

51. Lit - Atomic (2001)

At this point, Lit is mostly remembered as a one-hit wonder for 1999's "My Own Worst Enemy." While that song deserves every bit of praise that it's received, the band's 2001 follow-up Atomic is sorely overlooked. The album is packed wall-to-wall with summery singalong goodness, from singles "Lipstick and Bruises" and "Over My Head" to album cuts "Sunny Weather" and "She Comes" to, really, any track on this thing. Just pick one. You're guaranteed an infectious pop rock jam.

[waynekelton]

Like... Magic: Arena? You'll love these alternative CCGs

Just a few short years ago almost every developer inside and out of mobile gaming was holding the idea of the CCG close, finding every which way to include 'Card Battle' elements into new IPs and sequels that made absolutely no sense. That RTS sequel? Have some cards. The latest iteration of your favorite shooter? Cards.

Developers have taken a step back recently, but the resurgence of Magic: The Gathering with its new MtG: Arena game has reignited the urge to pull packs and build decks. It hasn't made its way to mobile just yet, though, so if you lack a PC capable of running the game or just need your CCG fix on the go, we've rounded up a bunch of popular big-brand CCG games you can play where and whenever the itch needs scratching.

Barring a few odd exceptions, All of the titles below can be played on both PC and mobile, with console being an option with some. Each takes certain cues from the Wizards of the Coast game that started it all, too. So while you'll need to learn the ropes with each of these, if you can play the CCG that stumps Chess-besting artificial intelligence, you can probably pick up and play these without much issue.

Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links (iOS and Android)

Konami has released a few different Yu-Gi-Oh games on mobile over the years, but Duel Links has proven to be the more resilient of the lot: and it's multi-platform!

Released back in 2017, Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links condenses the classic card battler into short, snappy duels better suited to on-the-go play while preserving popular strategies seen in top tournament over the years. If you haven't played Yu-Gi-Oh before, it's less about managing resources and more about managing your monsters. Battling requires notably less mental arithmetic despite attack and defense numbers going well into the thousands, yet the core idea remains the same: whittle down your opponent's life with direct attacks to win the game.

Spell and Trap cards help create synergistic strategies, and with thousands of cards to pull from its dozens of packs, there's just as much thought to building a themed deck as you'll find in Magic. It's not quite the core Yu-Gi-Oh experience you'd find at your local card shop, but it keeps enough to not feel dumbed down for mobile play. It's Yu-Gi-Oh, but faster, and fans of the still on-going anime show will find the overhanging story and periodic character releases as a reason to keep coming back.

Shadowverse (iOS and Android)

If you prefer the high-fantasy style of Magic but enjoy a side-helping of anime, Shadowverse is really worth a look.

Created by the good folks over at Cygames - who are responsible for Nintendo's Dragalia Lost and the ever-popular Granblue Fantasy, Shadowverse is like the love child of Hearthstone and Magic, mixing the mana management of Hearthstone with the more complicated battle systems of Magic. The gorgeous anime-inspired high-fantasy art-style adds a unique personality to the game that's sure to appeal to a more specific type of player. And if you've ever played a Cygames title before, prepare to see characters cross over from their other titles for that added easter egg kick.

Like some of the other options here, Shadowverse has a rich lore and a single-player storyline to run through. The English dub doesn't skimp out on the voice actors, either, with Cassandra Lee Morris (Persona 5's sleep-obsessed Morgana) taking the helm. It's available on both mobile and PC, so there's a good chance you'll be able to squeeze in some practice at home without draining your phone battery.

The longevity of ongoing support for Shadowverse comes into question with the recommendation. Mobile titles can close down at a moments notice. But if you're at all interested in the premise, I can personally attest to Shadowverse being well worth your time. Maybe just think twice about dumping too much money into if I you notice a few too many run-ins with the same player. Though the recent announcement of an anime project might mean there's still plenty of life in this one yet.

The Elder Scrolls Legends (iOS and Android)

Another case of a popular franchise jumping on the bandwagon. The Elder Scrolls Legends isn't the most popular CCG on the market, but its reputation is that of a unique and intriguing card game that wasn't just some ham-fisted attempt to cash in on the Elder Scrolls namesake.

If you're one of the thousands of players still enthralled by Skyrim or happen to be balancing life around The Elder Scrolls Online, The Elder Scrolls Legends can keep you immersed in the world of Tamriel while you're out and about. Its various expansion sets all bear an obvious likeness to ESO add-ons, too, so new and old players of the franchise are sure to get something out of its varied content.

You won't be able to hop on over from another CCG and play like a champ from the get-go with this one. There are similarities - like the return of the ever-popular Mana system - but you'll still have to play through the tutorial to understand the rest of the game board and how to position your cards.

Gwent (iOS) (October 29th)

Here's one we weren't expecting to add to the list. Despite more or less every other CCG tie-in making a point to release on mobile, CD Projekt Red's attempts to tackle the genre extended to simply making a standalone version of the card game available in The Witcher 3. That changes toward the end of October when Gwent finally leaves its PC/Console confines to join the Apple ecosystem by landing on the iOS App Store.

Notice the lack of mention of Android? It's true. Gwent is doing the unthinkable by launching exclusively on iOS. The original blog post (from March) does bring up Android as something that's being worked on, but even seven months on, we're still being told and Android release will "be announced at a later date". If you're here before the grand iOS release date, chances are you can still squeeze into the closed beta.

As Paul Tassi explained in a Forbes article a few years back, unlike the other games on this list, an understanding of something like Hearthstone doesn't mean squat in Gwent. They couldn't be more different. It's a numbers game, with rounds as well as turns. There's less card RNG in play and far more strategy. It's about reading the room and outplaying your opponent, and about knowing when to hold back and when to go all-in.

Learning the basics is about as hard as learning its intricacies. It's a complex game. If you like the fake-out meta of Poker, you'll probably get a kick out of Gwent. And if you like The Witcher, you're just looking at an extension of the tabletop game you probably sunk dozens of hours into across The Witcher 3.

Hearthstone (iOS and Android)

Josh had a whole section here, but Hearthstone doesn't need any further introduction. It's the game that launched a thousands CCGs, and it differs from Magic in a few key fundamental ways that you probably already know about. 

Honorable Mention:

Pokemon TCG Online (iPad and Android Tablets)

If, like me, your first venture into the CCG/TCG space was with Pokemon, you might be surprised to hear that you can play a completely digital and 100% official version of the Pokemon TCG at home and on the go. This one predates the card-game boom of recent years, but for one reason or another, the only way it's playable on the go (without a laptop) is with a tablet. They just never updated the game to really work on a small screen.

For the uninitiated, Pokemon TCG Online is quite unique in how it plays. Much like the traditional RPGs, you're encouraged to focus on a small and varied selection of Pokemon. Resource management comes in the form of coloured "Energy" cards used to power each card's multiple moves, with the aim of the game being to knock out enough of your opponent's critters to claim the six "prize" cards taken from your deck at the start of each match. There's quite a bit of RNG not only with luck of the draw, but also countless coin flips to decide how status affects like Paralysis and Sleep help or hinder your team.

Unlike the other entries on this list, the Pokemon Trading Card Game app extends into its physical version. Packs can be bought in-game, but each real-life booster pack and deck comes with a redeemable code to add that same purchase to the video game.

It's a great tool for existing TCG players to practice their strategies online, but those without a nurtured interest in the physical game have plenty to gain here, too. Its visuals are overly childish and barely represent the franchise's other entries, and there isn't much single-player content to sink your teeth into. But if you're looking to play the Pokemon TCG against other players without waltzing into your local hobby shop, it's a good go-between.

-----------------

In an earlier version of this article, Nick put forward his own list of credible Magic: The Gathering alternatives. Since the mobile CCG market has moved on a bit since then and Magic’s potential on mobile has shifted, we thought we’d re-do this article with a fresh perspective.

It’s not possible to keep all text, but if you’re interested in the games he recommened that were like Magic: The Gathering, here they are:

Card City Nights

Dream Quest

Lost Portal CCG

Five Card Quest

Treasure Hunter

Do you have any games you'd recommend to scratch that Magic itch? Let us know in the comments!

Like... Magic: Arena? You'll love these alternative CCGs published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/