#Countdown To Kickoff

[insidethestardc]

Craig Morton Throws His Way Into #14

Craig Morton Throws His Way Into #14

Welcome back to another edition of the Countdown to Kickoff Series. Currently, we sit 14 days until the Dallas Cowboys open up the season against the Bucs, and while I would love to dive into that expected, explosive matchup, let’s take a breather and look at something else exciting. And that’s the Greatest #14 in Dallas Cowboys History. Looking at the nine guys who wore the number, you realize…

[yourlocaltoad]

Assets used for Kickoff Countdown's Character page (skylanders.com, 2013/2014)

[jovial-thunder]

Pre-alpha Lancer Tactics changelog

(cross-posting the full gif changelog here because folks seemed to like it last time I did)

We're aiming for getting the first public alpha for backers by the end of this month! Carpenter and I scoped out mechanics that can wait until after the alpha (e.g. grappling, hiding) in favor of tying up the hundred loose threads that are needed for something that approaches a playable game. So this is mostly a big ol changelog of an update from doing that.

But I also gave a talent talk at a local Portland Indie Game Squad event about engine architecture! It'll sound familiar if you've been reading these updates; I laid out the basic idea for this talk almost a year ago, back in the June 2023 update.

We've also signed contracts & had a kickoff meeting with our writers to start on the campaigns. While I've enjoyed like a year of engine-work, it'll be so so nice to start getting to tell stories. Data structures don't mean anything beyond how they affect humans & other life.

New Content

Implemented flying as a status; unit counts as +3 spaces above the current ground level and ignores terrain and elevation extra movement costs. Added hover + takeoff/land animations.

Gave deployables the ability to have 3D meshes instead of 2D sprites; we'll probably use this mostly when the deployable in question is climbable.

Related, I fixed a bug where after terrain destruction, all units recheck the ground height under them so they'll move down if the ground is shot out from under them. When the Jerichos do that, they say "oh heck, the ground is taller! I better move up to stand on it!" — not realizing that the taller ground they're seeing came from themselves.

Fixed by locking some units' rendering to the ground level; this means no stacking climbable things, which is a call I'm comfortable making. We ain't making minecraft here (I whisper to myself, gazing at the bottom of my tea mug). 

Block sizes are currently 1x1x0.5 — half as tall as they are wide. Since that was a size I pulled out of nowhere for convenience, we did some art tests for different block heights and camera angles. TLDR that size works great and we're leaving it.

Added Cone AOE pattern, courtesy of an algorithm NMcCoy sent me that guarantees the correct number of tiles are picked at the correct distance from the origin.

pick your aim angle

for each distance step N of your cone, make a list ("ring") of all the cells at that distance from your origin

sort those cells by angular distance from your aim angle, and include the N closest cells in that ring in the cone's area

Here's a gif they made of it in Bitsy:

Units face where you're planning on moving/targeting them.

Got Walking Armory's Shock option working. Added subtle (too subtle, now that I look at it) electricity effect.

Other things we've added but I don't have gifs for or failed to upload. You'll have to trust me. :)

disengage action

overcharge action

Improved Armament core bonus

basic mine explosion fx

explosion fx on character dying

Increase map elevation cap to 10. It's nice but definitely is risky with increasing the voxel space, gonna have to keep an eye on performance.

Added Structured + Stress event and the associated popups. Also added meltdown status (and hidden countdown), but there's not animation for this yet so your guy just abruptly disappears and leaves huge crater.

UI Improvements

Rearranged the portrait maker. Auto-expand the color picker so you don't have to keep clicking into a submenu.

Added topdown camera mode by pressing R for handling getting mechs out of tight spaces.

The action tooltips have been bothering me for a while; they extend up and cover prime play-area real estate in the center of the screen. So I redesigned them to be shorter and have a max height by putting long descriptions in a scrollable box. This sounds simple, but the redesign, pulling in all the correct data for the tags, and wiring up the tooltips took like seven hours. Game dev is hard, yo.

Put the unit inspect popups in lockable tooltips + added a bunch of tooltips to them.

Implemented the rest of Carpenter's cool hex-y action and end turn readout. I'm a big fan of whenever we can make the game look more like a game and less like a website (though he balances out my impulse for that for the sake of legibility).

Added a JANKY talent/frame picker. I swear we have designs for a better one, but sometimes you gotta just get it working. Also seen briefly here are basic level up/down and HASE buttons.

Other no-picture things:

Negated the map-scaling effect that happens when the window resizes to prevent bad pixel scaling of mechs at different resolutions; making the window bigger now just lets you see more play area instead of making things bigger.

WIP Objectives Bullets panel to give the current sitrep info

Wired up a buncha tooltips throughout the character sheet.

Under the Hood

Serialization: can save/load games! This is the payoff for sticking with that engine architecture I've been going on about. I had to add a serialization function to everything in the center layer which took a while, but it was fairly straightforward work with few curveballs.

Finished replacement of the kit/unit/reinforcement group/sitrep pickers with a new standardized system that can pull from stock data and user-saved data.

Updated to Godot 4.2.2; the game (and editor) has been crashing on exit for a LONG time and for the life of me I couldn't track down why, but this minor update in Godot completely fixed the bug. I still have no idea what was happening, but it's so cool to be working in an engine that's this active bugfixing-wise! 

Other Bugfixes

Pulled straight from the internal changelog, no edits for public parseability:

calculate cover for fliers correctly

no overwatch when outside of vertical threat

fixed skirmisher triggering for each attack in an AOE

fixed jumpjets boost-available detection

fixed mines not triggering when you step right on top of them // at a different elevation but still adjacent

weapon mods not a valid target for destruction

made camera pan less jumpy and adjust to the terrain height

better Buff name/desc localization

Fixed compcon planner letting you both boost and attack with one quick action.

Fix displayed movement points not updating

Prevent wrecks from going prone

fix berserkers not moving if they were exactly one tile away

hex mine uses deployer's save target instead of 0

restrict weapon mod selection if you don't have the SP to pay

fix deployable previews not going away

fix impaired not showing up in the unit inspector (its status code is 0 so there was a check that was like "looks like there's no status here")

fix skirmisher letting you move to a tile that should cost two movement if it's only one space away

fix hit percent calculation

fix rangefinder grid shader corner issues (this was like a full day to rewrite the shader to be better)

Teleporting costs the max(spaces traveled, elevation change) instead of always 1

So um, yeah, that's my talk, any questions? (I had a professor once tell us to never end a talk like this, so now of course it's the phrase that first comes to mind whenever I end a talk)

[allthingstraviskelce]

Travis Kelce appearing on the Monday Night Countdown kickoff show on ESPN (11.20.23)

[leveloneandup]

togethxr Our 2023 USWNT yearbook, fresh off the printer 🖨️ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF STARTS NOW

[stepcousinclawspeaks]

MommyClan Advent Art Challenge!

@mommyclan

Each day until Christmas (December 25), here's a list if daily seasonal scenarios to draw your chaotic kitty children in!

(even if you don't celebrate Christmas, feel free to join in or change prompts to fit your winter holiday of choice!)

Day 1 - Setting up the Christmas Tree 🎄

Day 2 - Enjoying their favorite seasonal snack 🍪

Day 3 - Doing a craft or making holiday cards ✨️

Day 4 - Taking a picture with the local mall Santa 🎸

Day 5 - Watching Holiday Specials ☃️

Day 6 - Mistletoe Kiss 🌿

Day 7 - Visiting their Kin 🫂

Day 8 - Caroling 🎶

Day 9 - Pajama Day 👕

Day 10 - Decorating the camp with lights 💡

Day 11 - Elf on the Shelf 🤫

Day 12 - Spending time with their closest friends ❤️

Day 13 - Yule Log 🔥

Day 14 - Snow Day ❄️

Day 15 - Binge-watching their favorite show 🎥

Day 16 - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup 🥪

Day 17 - Asleep in cozy sheets 😴

Day 18 - School's out 😈

Day 19 - Visiting the Moonpool/stone 🌌

Day 20 - Ice Hockey 🏒

Day 21 - Snowball fights ⚪️

Day 22 - Hot Cocoa ☕️

Day 23 - Painting a winter scene 🖼

Day 24 - Riding on the Polar Express 🚂

Day 25 - Christmas Gift Exchange! Make a holiday drawing for one of your clanmates! 🎁

See you all tomorrow for the kickoff of this seasonal countdown!

[supergirlmayhem]

The Countdown is ON!!

The week of sign-ups is HERE!

Have you chosen your ship(s)?

Get ready...kickoff begins in 24 HOURS!

[hearteyes-for-killmonger]

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas countdown to Christmas Day. Here's our final post of the night!!!! Hope you guys enjoyed the kickoff.

*sigh* I just love this season.

Pink Tax

Damien comes to cash in on what his old friend still owes him and when he doesn't get it, he requests something else.

Tags: Damian Anderson, lil tiny bit of smut, Handyman!Damian

It was a week before Christmas.

Damien responded to the Evans' call for a handyman. He showed up in a warm long sleeve, beanie, jeans, and work boots, holding a tool box to work on a slow draining sink.

"Oh," the Mrs greeted him, hanging onto the front door as he stood waiting on the strep.

"Good afternoon Miss, I'm the handyman you called."

She looked him up and down openly before allowing him in. It was clear Mr. Evans wasn't in. She watched his gait and ogled him waiting for him to walk ahead so she could see the view from the back, but Damian waited for her to lead the way.

"Uh, yeah. This is the sink that needs to be unclogged," she directed him to the main hall bathroom upstairs. He sat his toolbox on the floor tile and laid on his back under the sink while she stood by watching him clean the hairballs from the p trap and the rot from the pop-up drain. Every now and then he'd look and make eye contact.

"How is it going," she squatted thighs wide revealing that she ain't have no panties on.

Damien took a full glance and continued the work he was doing. He wiped his hands on his towel and tested the water in the sink. It drained immediately. "It shouldn't give you any problems. Who's paying, you or your husband?"

"He's not here," her bold fingers slid down his bicep as she stepped directly into his space, looking from his chest, to his strong shoulders, Adam's apple, to his eyes that were watching her back closely.

"..When you expecting him?"

"Not for another half hour.. if you wanna wait," she teased. Her hand slid down to his stomach and to the top of his jeans onto his button and zipper.

He stood still simply watching as she knelt and walked the zipper down, her eyes remaining on his until his jeans slid down to his calves. Her eye contact dropped to his dick in his black briefs, his toned beep brown thighs. He watched her peel the briefs down and look back up at him as she held his half-erect dick in her hand, stroking it slowly and firmly like it was turning her on.

She licked with attitude up the length of his shaft enveloping the first inch and sucking the head with a pop before she grinned licking back down to his balls.

He raised the hem of his shirt giving her a glimpse of his deep cut abs while she continued to suck him, hard and rhythmically, her head swirling with noises that reminded him of a washing machine. She hummed in excitement as she pulled back to see all her spit glistening on his length that was still hardening. She stood up to brace herself on the wall and bend over but Damian tossed her chest over the sink and pushed her head down onto the counter as he went under her short dress to fuck her with her palms pressed into the mirror. He lifted her head by fisting and pulling her hair so she could watch herself get fucked hard by a stranger.

Her mouth hung open, her eyes wild as she took all he was dishing. She moaned and cussed while he bit his lip and grunted in her ear, smacking her ass hard and gripping her neck, moving her like a ragdoll. He could tell she liked it a little rough as he tossed her around the bathroom, picking her up and bouncing her on his dick with her back on the wall. He sat her her on the closed toilet and pulled her head into his pelvis for her to clean her mess from his dick and suck it clean.

He grunted as he skeeted on her face and neck, getting only some into her open mouth. No words were needed, he tapped her cheek harder and harder until she turned her head letting him know to dial it back a step in intensity. She never stopped sucking and moaning until he pushed her off and put her over the sink once more with her knee on the counter to fuck her from behind. He channeled his energy into smacking her ass as he drove his dick into her raw.

They both heard the front door close suddenly and the jingle of keys. Mrs. Evans climbed up quickly and looked at Damian before fixing herself up speedily and leaving the bathroom to greet her husband as if nothing had happened. His dick was still on her breath. Her juices were still on her thighs. The bathroom had the smell of sex.

Damien listened into their conversation. She was telling her husband that the handyman was finishing up so Damien pulled up his pants and readjusted his work drip, lingering in the halls and visiting their bedroom in search of jewelry and money.. just long enough to corroborate her story. He stored the money, watches, and rings he found in his toolbox and sauntered out to where the couple stood talking.

Mr. Evans turned and in seconds his stance went from relaxed to defensive.

"Sup," Damien nodded. "I'd ask how you've been holding up, but by the looks of this place I'd say pretty good," he stopped short a few feet away.

"Damian. When you get out?"

"Lucky. You don't sound happy to see me," Damian smiled watching Lucky Evans sweat. "And after I did you yet another solid," he gestured back, then to Mrs. Evans. "Your wife has been very.. should I say hospitable?"

That comment rocked both Lucky and his wife. Damien took a deep inhale and looked around. "Half of this shit is mine."

"How you figure?"

Damien threw a look as if it were obvious and took a seat on the leather couch in the living room waiting for Lucky to sit on the opposite couch, facing him. Lucky owed a hefty debt. It was the with the money he borrowed and never paid back that he was able to afford the house and the maintenance of his new woman. Damien waved his fingers rushing Lucky to settle. They needed to talk.

"I'm here because you owe me money.. and I want it plus interest for you making me wait."

"Well I ain't got it," Lucky admitted. He had some, but that was his savings and without it he'd be wiped out. Damien sighed expected those words.

"I'm not leaving here empty handed." He put his gun on the table and Lucky leaned back, staring at it. "Now Lucky, I don't wanna have to leave you as a mess for your pretty wife over there to clean up," he smiled at the woman who was in a different room watching them. He waved and looked back to Lucky, his smile dropping. "Like I said, it's a nice house.."

"I can get you the money," Lucky said quickly. Damian smiled once more.

"That's what I like to hear. Unfortunately.. I think you a liar so I'm good on that.. I want this house.. and your wife," he stared watching the seriousness sink into Lucky's face. "Oh yeah, I'm coming for everything. Don't worry," he smirked. "You can get another house.. You can get another bitch... but you only have one life."

Now that Damian was out of prison, it was time to pay up and he didn't fuck around which Lucky knew all too well. Damien had people and Damien had bodies. Lucky had escaped him for a decade but the past finally caught up.

Lucky agreed that he would turn over the house which was paid in full. He would vacate the premises and they'd call it even. Damian watched him break it to his wife, the part about her being the roughest. She slapped him and ran upstairs. She was pissed, but in Damian's mind she should've asked her husband more questions about his money before she married him for money.

Lucky got as far as to his car before Damien stopped him and called him back.

"I'm just messing with you lil bruh, I ain't finna kick you out the week before Christmas. Where was you finna go," Damian clapped him on the back.

Lucky released a long exhale and grabbed his knees as Damian let him back inside the house. "I owe you big," he sighed, relieved.

"You do.. secure the bag, then we'll get on that," Damian gripped Lucky's shirt firmly to get his message across. He picked up his toolbox. His gun was in his pants. "Merry Christmas," he smacked Lucky on the cheek like he'd smacked his wife. He took a deep breath of fresh air once outside. "Be out my house by the end of January.. don't make me regret this. I'm watching you," he gestured on his way back to his truck.

@dashhoney25 @lettidarawest @soufcakmistress @ljstraightnochaser @princessstevens @eye-raq @thiccdaddy-mbaku @destinio1 @iamrheaspeaks @hidden-treasures21 @bidibidibombaclaat @forbeautyandlife @blowmymbackout @misspooh @thotyana-in-this-hoe @purplehairgawdess @thegucciwaffle @goddessofthundathighs @nobodybaby93 @theegoldenchild @thadelightfulone @sultanabby @mysticalblackhottie @baekhyunbabybunni @fd-writes @richonne4life @tgigoldie @thehomierobbstark @capswife @blackpinup22 @harleycativy @lishabaybee @playgurlxoxo

[uswntpoc]

HOW CUTE 😍

emboss23 Countdown to Kickoff #USWNT

[nfcomics]

ACTION COMICS no.1047 • cover art • Nathan Szerdy [Sept 2022]

In the aftermath of Superman's epic Warworld Revolution, the Man of Steel is back on Earth and stronger than he's ever been! As he and Steel join forces to remake Metropolis as a true City of Tomorrow, two of Superman's most iconic villains take notice…and they have plans of their own.

Meanwhile, Superman's meddling on Warworld has had unforeseen consequences: he's awakened an enemy so ancient and powerful, even this stronger-than-ever Superman will need the whole Super-Family to face it.

Introducing new characters and beginning this new chapter in Superman's mythology, don't miss the kickoff to the countdown to Action Comics #1050!

[the-empress-7]

I honestly still feel bad for Invictus even when they are responsible of this, it’s sad that all the PR is about H&M (you go to see all the posts in social media, and the caption mentions that they are at IG, but all is about her clothes, ‘in-love’ couple, etc). It’s like they are holidaying there (they are, but now Harold doesn’t even care to wear an IG shirt or some merchandising)

Sorry , but for all their efforts to be seen as ‘royals’ at least the first day was a big ‘meh’ to me. They didn’t even had ‘great pics’ with the landscape, the veterans or else. The countdown on Germany 2 years ago was more ‘royal’ than this. If this is the best WME or whoever is doing their PR, then they are lost, now they will be saved again by Chuck by inviting them to Christmas or a public/private celebration and that is what they need to start to be seen as royals again

I agree with you. When it comes to IG, they usually pull off better stunts. Like you said, the Germany kickoff was far more elevated than what we saw yesterday. Who knows, maybe they are saving the awe and thunder for today 🤷‍♀️

[insidethestardc]

Mr. Dan Reeves Is The Guy at #30

Mr. Dan Reeves Is The Guy at #30

Welcome back to another edition of the Countdown to Kickoff series. Currently, we sit 30 days until we see your Dallas Cowboys take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and while that may seem like a long time, I wouldn’t be too upset. Want to know why? Because your Dallas Cowboys jump back into REAL FOOTBALL ACTION this Saturday against the Denver Broncos!! Too bad we won’t see former Cowboys DE Randy…

[rubberizer92]

🔥 Brace yourself for the electrifying kickoff of OBEY Season 4! 🔥

Gentlemen, prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey as 15 nations, including the captivating Turkey, take center stage in their alluring rubber ensembles. 💪🌟 Your votes hold the key to their destiny! Engage with these remarkable contenders on Instagram and Tumblr by liking, commenting, saving, and sharing. Each interaction propels them closer to becoming the next OBEY sensation. And don't miss out on the intriguing story voting twist – your "Yes" votes in Instagram stories push them ahead, while "No" votes subtract from their total. Your voice becomes the driving force that shapes their victory!

🇹🇷 Let's dive into Turkey's captivating journey! 🇹🇷 Witness their unwavering commitment as they embody the Voice's desires through their stunning rubber outfits. Get ready for a surge of passion, strength, and unparalleled excitement!

Gentlemen, the countdown to an unforgettable adventure has begun with OBEY Season 4! 🔥💥 #OBEYseason4 #RubberRevolution #IgniteDesire #VoteForGlory #SeductiveDominance

[yourlocaltoad]

turns out im also missing another character ish i never even ripped countdown's lightcore and kickoff images from the site

[mltcentral]

‘WSL Kickoff Countdown ⏳

4 days to go!

Counting down to action today with our number 4️⃣ - Maya Le Tissier

A key player for United last season, honestly can’t wait to see Maya play again on Sunday!

Editor: @/monkeys_united on X’

via Only One United Club on X

[leveloneandup]

Christen Press | Countdown to Angel City Kickoff with Jaime Maggio on CBSNews LA - September 21, 2022