#Cross-platform game engine

[xceltectechnology]

Transforming Gaming: How Unity 3D Shapes Modern Game Development

Unity 3D has become a disruptive force in the ever-evolving game industry, changing the way developers create, implement, and release immersive gaming experiences. Unity 3D's advanced features and adaptable design enable artists, from independent developers to large companies, to realize their ideas.

What is Unity 3D?

Unity 3D is a cross-platform game engine that offers tools for creating interactive 2D and 3D experiences. Known for its user-friendly interface and robust capabilities, Unity has become a cornerstone for game developers worldwide. Its versatility supports diverse genres and platforms, from mobile devices to virtual reality headsets.

Key Features that Revolutionize Game Development

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Unity 3D enables developers to build games once and deploy them across multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, PC, consoles, and VR systems. This capability drastically reduces development time and costs.

Realistic Graphics and Physics: Unity’s advanced rendering engine supports high-quality visuals, realistic lighting, and intricate physics simulations, ensuring immersive gameplay experiences.

Asset Store Ecosystem: The Unity Asset Store offers a rich marketplace of pre-built assets, scripts, animations, and plugins, helping developers speed up the creation process without sacrificing quality.

Powerful Scripting: With support for C#, Unity provides a robust scripting environment that allows developers to implement complex gameplay mechanics and AI behaviors.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: Unity is a leader in VR and AR development, offering tools to build experiences for devices like Oculus, HTC Vive, and Microsoft HoloLens. Real-World Applications of Unity 3D

AAA Titles and Indie Games: Unity has been the backbone of popular games such as Cuphead, Hollow Knight, and Among Us. Its versatility caters to both high-budget productions and indie projects.

Virtual Reality Games: Unity’s seamless integration with VR platforms has enabled groundbreaking titles like Beat Saber, which deliver fully immersive gaming experiences.

Educational and Simulation Games: Beyond entertainment, Unity 3D powers educational games and simulations that provide valuable training tools in industries like healthcare and engineering.

The Future of Gaming with Unity 3D

As technology evolves, Unity continues to stay ahead of the curve with support for cutting-edge advancements such as machine learning, real-time ray tracing, and AI-powered NPCs. Its adaptability ensures that developers can create games that align with future trends, from metaverse experiences to cloud gaming platforms.

Conclusion: The Unity 3D Advantage

Xceltec is leading to Unity 3D App game development, making it accessible to creators of all levels while providing tools to push the boundaries of innovation. Whether you're building a mobile puzzler or a VR epic, Unity 3D equips you with the power to craft unforgettable experiences that captivate players around the globe.

Ready to transform your game ideas into reality?

Partner with Unity 3D experts to bring your vision to life. Contact us today to start building your next gaming masterpiece!

For more information: https://www.xceltec.com/

[filehulk]

GDevelop for Windows

GDevelop is an open-source, cross-platform PC game engine that provides an easy yet powerful way to create games. It’s designed with beginners and experts in mind, offering a user-friendly interface and robust tools for crafting anything from platformers and puzzles to shoot ’em up games, 8-bit games, and even complex strategy games. What sets G Develop apart from other game engines is its unique…

[sweecute-jamie]

Do you know which game avatar is this ? Checkout on https://Gamepodcasts.com and play online games

[fogaminghub]

🐜🎮 Attention, gamers and adventure lovers! The world of Empire of the Ants is about to get even more thrilling in 2025! Dive into an immersive solo campaign, challenge friends in intense multiplayer battles, and experience a beautifully rendered forest ecosystem. Check out our blog for all the exciting updates and new features coming your way! 🔗 

[techdriveplay]

Steelseries Unveils 100+ Game-specific Audio Profiles With New Arctis Nova 5 & Companion App

From the creator of the groundbreaking Arctis Nova line of headsets, SteelSeries, the original esports brand that fuses gaming and culture and worldwide leader in gaming and esports peripherals, today expands the Arctics Nova family with the introduction of the Arctis Nova 5 series headsets and Nova 5 Companion App. For the newest member of the award-winning Arctis Nova line of headsets, the…

[enixostudio]

Navigating Teen Patti Game Development: A Beginner's Guide

In the bustling world of mobile gaming, Teen Patti holds a special place, especially among players in India and South Asia. This card game, often referred to as Indian Poker, combines skill, luck, and social interaction, making it a favorite pastime for millions. With the surge in online gaming, developing a Teen Patti game can be a lucrative venture. However, navigating the path of game development, especially for beginners, can be daunting. Here’s a simplified guide to help you through the process, with a special mention of Enixo Studio towards the end, a team that can help turn your vision into reality.

Understanding Teen Patti

Before diving into development, it's crucial to understand the game itself. Teen Patti is typically played by 3 to 6 players with a 52-card pack without jokers. The game starts with a fixed bet amount, and the goal is to have the best three-card hand and maximize the pot before the game ends. Understanding these basic rules and the variations that exist is the first step in creating an engaging Teen Patti game.

Research and Planning

Research the market to identify what existing Teen Patti games offer and what players expect. Look into the features that make these games appealing and areas where they lack. This initial research will help in planning your game, including deciding on unique features, game mechanics, and social elements you want to include to stand out in the crowded market.

Design and User Experience (UX)

Design is not just about how the game looks but also how it feels to the players. A good Teen Patti game should have an intuitive interface, easy navigation, and engaging graphics that replicate the excitement of a real-life game. The UX should be smooth, ensuring players of all ages can understand how to play the game without a steep learning curve.

Development Tools and Technology

Choosing the right tools and technology is critical for developing a robust Teen Patti game. There are several game development engines, like Unity or Unreal Engine, that offer the flexibility and power needed for such a game. Additionally, deciding whether the game will be developed for iOS, Android, or both platforms will impact your choice of technology and development strategy.

Implement Social Features

Teen Patti is inherently a social game. Incorporating features that allow players to interact, such as in-game chat, friend lists, and the ability to play with friends or join public tables, can significantly enhance the appeal of your game. These features encourage community building and can increase player retention.

Focus on Fair Play and Security

Ensuring fair play through a reliable Random Number Generator (RNG) system is non-negotiable. This fosters trust among players. Equally important is the security of the game, protecting users' data and transactions. Implementing high-level encryption and secure payment gateways is essential for maintaining the integrity of the game.

Testing and Feedback

Before launching, thorough testing of the game is crucial to identify and fix any bugs or UX issues. Beta testing with a select group of players can provide valuable feedback on the game's appeal and areas for improvement. This step is vital to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all players upon launch.

Marketing and Launch

A well-planned marketing strategy can make a significant difference in the game's success. Utilizing social media, influencer partnerships, and targeted advertising can help create buzz around the game. Upon launch, continuous engagement with the community and regular updates based on player feedback can keep the game fresh and interesting.

Partnering with Enixo Studio

Embarking on the Teen Patti game development journey is an exciting but challenging process. Partnering with a seasoned game development studio like Enixo Studio can help ease the burden. With expertise in mobile game development, including casino and card games, Enixo Studio offers end-to-end services from conceptualization and design to development, testing, and launch. Their experienced team can provide the guidance and technical support needed to create a Teen Patti game that stands out in the competitive market.

Navigating the complexities of Teen Patti game development requires a thorough understanding of the game, a clear plan, attention to design and user experience, and a focus on social and security features. With the right approach and a partner like Enixo Studio, you can create a Teen Patti game that captivates and entertains players for years to come.

[vingtetunmars]

Cool Your Engine

Pairing: Eddie Munson x F!Reader

Summary: A summer car breakdown leads to unexpected sparks when you're met with Eddie Munson, the mechanic.

tags: NSFW, mechanic!Eddie Munson, meet cute, hooking up, smut (18+), Eddie is flirty, but reader is equally as flirty, so Eddie gets flustered, things gets steamy. No mentions of Y/N.

A/N: Here's another one for yall who hasn't moved on from spring 2022 (dw me too). And I have to warn you guys, it's my first time writting smut. If you have any requests, suggestions, or thoughts, feel free to send me a message. Reblogs are appreciated. Please do not steal or cross-post it on another platform without asking. Thank you.

word count: 3k

masterlist

It happened three songs into your summer mixtape, somewhere between “Jessie’s Girl” and the first crackle of heat warping off the pavement. Your car coughed, shuddered, and gave up like a dramatic theater kid—right in the middle of the road.

“Seriously?” you muttered, pulling off to the shoulder with what little momentum you had left. A few horns honked in passing, but it wasn’t like you’d planned a breakdown in 90-degree weather with no shade, no A/C, and no clue what was wrong under the hood.

You kicked the tire. Like that would help.

Eventually, with sweat creeping down your back and patience fraying, you called it in. The tow truck guy took his time—of course—and an hour later, your car was being dragged into Thatcher Tires, a squat little shop tucked behind a gas station and halfway disguised by trees.

The tow truck rolled to a stop in front of an open garage bay. Music drifted from a beat-up radio inside—Ozzy—and you caught the glint of metal tools scattered across a workbench.

Then he stepped out.

He looked like a movie cliché. Grease-stained jeans, sleeveless band tee clinging to his arms, dark curls tied back with a red rag. There was a smear of oil across one cheek, a socket wrench in one hand, and the swagger of someone who’d definitely been kicked out of detention more than once.

And you knew him.

Eddie Munson.

High school’s resident chaos goblin. All leather jackets, bad reputation, and devil horns. You hadn’t really talked to him back then — different friend groups, different universes — but Hawkins High wasn’t exactly huge. You knew of him. He knew of you.

And now, apparently, he was the one holding your car’s fate in his ring-clad hands.

“Well, well,” he said with a grin, looking you up and down with obvious amusement. “Didn’t expect you to show up here. This some kind of undercover royalty mission?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Sorry?”

He gestured to your car with theatrical flair. “You know. Hawkins High’s golden girl, stranded in the heat. Sounds like the setup to a John Hughes movie. Except I’m pretty sure I’m the bad influence your parents warned you about.”

You stared at him. He was laying it on thick. Bold move.

“…The engine died,” you said coolly, not missing a beat. “Right after I put in gas. Which makes me think maybe it just gave up on life.”

“Tragic,” Eddie said, walking over to pop the hood. “Sounds like it’s got a flare for the dramatic. Can’t blame it. If I had to live off gas station hot dogs, I’d probably give up too.”

He bent over the engine, giving you an unfortunate front-row view of his torn shirt riding up at the back. You fought the urge to laugh.

Then, without looking at you, he added, “So, you come here often? Or do broken engines just bring us together?”

You blinked.

Oh. So he wanted to play this game.

A slow smile tugged at your lips.

You stepped a little closer, just enough that he noticed the shift in space. “Only when the universe decides to throw me at high school delinquents.”

Eddie straightened, wiping his hands on a rag that only made them slightly dirtier. He caught your gaze and faltered for just a second. “Touché.”

You tilted your head, pretending to inspect the engine. “So, you actually know what you’re doing? Or is this where you tell me I need a whole new car?”

He let out a breathy chuckle, tapping the wrench against his palm. “Nah, lucky for you, I’m the best thing that ever happened to this shop. You’ll be back on the road in no time.”

“Good,” you said, shooting him a look. “I’d hate to have to call another mechanic. One that isn’t flirting with me in broad daylight.”

That shut him up.

For a beat, Eddie opened his mouth—then closed it again. He wiped his hands harder. “Uh. Right. Yeah. I’ll, um, go take a look at the engine now.”

You bit your cheek to keep from laughing. This was going to be fun.

Eddie cleared his throat, dragging his focus back to the car like it hadn’t just gotten lightly roasted by someone way too cute to be standing in his garage, in his space, casually dismantling his ability to flirt like a functioning adult.

He leaned over the engine again, muttering something about valves as he poked around with the tip of his wrench. You folded your arms and leaned back against the car next to yours, watching him like he was a particularly entertaining movie.

“So?” you finally asked. “What’s the damage, Doc?”

Eddie popped his head up, giving you a crooked grin. “Well, after a very scientific examination—by which I mean looking at it and poking it a few times—I’d say your alternator’s fried. That, or your battery connections are shot. Could be both. Either way, your engine wasn’t getting the juice it needed.”

You blinked. “English?”

He laughed. “Car no get power. Car sad.”

You rolled your eyes, but the smile snuck in anyway. “Got it. And how long does it take to un-sad the car?”

Eddie straightened up fully, wiping his hands on the same greasy rag as before. “If it’s just the alternator, I can probably have it fixed by tomorrow evening. If I gotta order a new part, we’re talking… two days, maybe three. Depends how fast the delivery guy wants to piss me off this week.”

You nodded, pretending to calculate your suffering. “So I’m without a car for at least a day. What a tragedy.”

Eddie shrugged, tilting his head. “Could be worse. At least you broke down near home. And hey, now you get to hang out at Hawkins’ hottest summer destination: the Munson Garage.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is that what this place is called now?”

“Unofficially. Only the cool people call it that.” He glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck with his oil-slicked hand and instantly regretting it when he smeared grease across his skin. “Which, apparently, now includes you.”

There was a pause.

You smiled again—slow and knowing.

He caught it and groaned. “God, I walked right into that, didn’t I?”

“Yep,” you said, popping the ‘p’ with satisfaction.

Eddie chuckled, shaking his head. “Alright, alright. I’m gonna pull the battery and check a few more things. You’re welcome to chill if you want. The office has A/C and a semi-functioning coffee machine. Emphasis on ‘semi.’”

You considered it, then nodded. “Fine. But if that coffee kills me, I’m suing.”

He gave you a mock salute. “Deal. You die, I get sued. That’s the American Dream, baby.”

You pushed off the car and made your way toward the garage office, brushing past him just close enough that his breath hitched—and if you smiled to yourself as you walked away, well…

He didn’t have to know that.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

You stared at the buzzing fluorescent light in the garage office. It blinked in uneven spurts, casting a depressing glow over the chipped coffee table, stained carpet, and stack of Auto Weekly magazines no one had touched since 1981. The A/C hummed like it was on its last leg, doing its best to fight off the heat bleeding through the windows.

You checked your watch. Five minutes had passed.

You tried sipping the coffee.

Immediately regretted it.

You set it down and stared at the door leading back into the garage.

You didn’t have to sit here. He’d invited you to stay, hadn’t he?

Yeah. Totally invited. It wasn’t weird. Not weird at all.

With that flimsy justification, you pushed open the door and stepped into the garage again—where the air was hotter, thicker, and scented like motor oil, grease, and faint cologne. Not that you minded.

Eddie was crouched low at the front of your car, hands deep in the engine. He hadn’t noticed you yet, music from a nearby radio low but loud enough to cover the creak of the door.

And yeah—damn.

The band tee he wore earlier had ridden up again, revealing the sharp lines of his back and the tattoos inked along his side, smeared faintly with grease. His arms flexed as he twisted something with a wrench, a loose strand of hair falling across his face. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand, leaving a smudge across his temple.

You shouldn’t have stared. You definitely shouldn’t have bit your lip.

But it wasn’t your fault he looked like the cover of a very specific kind of magazine right now.

Eddie finally looked up—and startled just slightly when he saw you there. “Back so soon? Office too glamorous for you?”

You shrugged, walking over like your pulse wasn’t doing weird things. “The light was flickering like it was trying to communicate with the dead. And your coffee? Crimes against humanity.”

Eddie grinned. “Told you it was semi-functional.”

You leaned against the worktable beside him, arms crossed, pretending you weren’t definitely watching the way his curls stuck to the back of his neck. “So what’s the verdict? Is my car dead or just in a dramatic coma?”

He wiped his hands off on a rag, then gestured vaguely toward the engine. “Still coma. She’s responding to tests, though. Could pull through with some TLC and a couple hundred dollars in parts.”

“Hmm.” You leaned forward, peering into the engine like you knew what any of it meant. “You really talk about cars like they’re people.”

He looked at you, a flicker of something dancing behind his eyes. “They kind of are. You learn their moods. Their quirks. Some scream for attention, others give you the silent treatment.”

“Sounds exhausting.”

“Sounds like high school.”

You both laughed, and for a second, the sound softened the space between you.

Then Eddie cleared his throat. “You didn’t have to come out here, you know.”

“I know.” You looked at him, bold enough to hold the stare. “Just figured you were more interesting than a flickering light and expired magazines.”

His smile twitched, but he didn’t look away. “Careful, princess. Keep talking like that and I might start thinking you actually like me.”

You tilted your head, considering him, considering your words. “What if I already do?”

For a split second, his confidence wobbled. A flush bloomed at the base of his neck, just barely visible through the smears of grease and heat.

“Well,” he said, eyes flicking down and then quickly back up, “then I’d say you’re making some very questionable life choices.”

You smirked, leaning a little closer. “Yeah. I tend to do that in the summer.”

Eddie blinked—visibly short-circuiting.

You didn’t press your luck. Just gave him a wink, turned around, and went back to pretending to look at the tools like you hadn’t just broken his brain.

From behind you, you heard him mutter, “Jesus Christ,” under his breath.

Victory.

You eventually peeled yourself away from the garage — mostly because the heat and Eddie were making it difficult to think straight.

After making a call, you walked back to Eddie, “I’m gonna have to leave her here for the night,” you said, glancing back at your poor, sunbaked car. “I’ve got places to be, and unfortunately none of them include waiting around in a garage for a miraculous resurrection.”

Eddie wiped his hands on that same rag, slinging it over his shoulder like a towel in some kind of car commercial. “I can work on it tonight, if you want. Should have her running by tomorrow.”

You tilted your head. “You offering that as a mechanic or a... friend?”

He gave a soft snort. “Well, the mechanic gets paid. The friend just wants an excuse to see you again.”

You tried not to let your smirk show too much. “Good thing I like both of them, then.”

That time, he definitely blushed — just a flicker, but you caught it.

A car horn sounded from outside. You glanced toward the open garage doors and saw your friend’s car pulling into the lot, waving lazily out the window.

“That’s my ride,” you said, already taking a few steps back.

Eddie nodded, brushing a grease-streaked curl from his cheek. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

You paused at the door, hand on the frame. “Don’t let her give you too much trouble,” you said, nodding at your car. “She can be dramatic, but she’s got heart.”

“Sounds familiar,” Eddie said, giving you a little grin — and a little look.

You raised your brows. “Careful, Munson. You flirt like that again and I might think you’re interested.”

He opened his mouth, but whatever clever reply he had fizzled the moment you winked and turned on your heel.

As you slid into your friend’s passenger seat, you couldn’t help but glance back once. Eddie was still standing there, rag over his shoulder, watching you go with a look that made the inside of your chest feel like someone had lit a match.

Yeah. Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

The next afternoon, you were back — sunglasses perched on your nose, summer breeze tousling your hair as you stepped into the garage.

Eddie was already elbow-deep in the hood of someone else’s car, but the second he looked up and saw you, something in his face lit up. He wiped his hands off and met you halfway across the garage.

“She lives,” he said, nodding toward your car parked by the side. “Got her purring like a kitten. You’re all good to go.”

You gave him a pleased grin, twirling your keys around one finger. “So does this mean I owe you dinner, or just my eternal gratitude?”

Eddie blinked — caught for just a second in that space between flustered and wanting to flirt. “Depends. Are you offering?”

You tilted your head, amused. “I might be.”

He was the one who took the step closer this time. “Careful,” he said, voice low. “You say things like that and I’ll start thinking today’s gonna get even better.”

Something in the air shifted — like it always did when you two were alone.

It was supposed to be a quick stop. Grab the car, say thank you, go. But the way Eddie was looking at you — like you were trouble in the best way — made your pulse kick up.

“You’re staring,” you said softly, but didn’t back away.

“So are you.”

He reached up, gently brushing your sunglasses to rest on top of your head. The moment your eyes met without the tint between them, something snapped.

You closed the distance first — not quite a kiss, but your lips just a breath away from his. “Is now a bad time to say I’ve been thinking about you?”

Eddie exhaled through a laugh, but his voice came out hoarse. “Only if it stops you from doing something about it.”

And then you did.

You kissed him.

It was slow at first — like testing the water — but when his hands found your waist and you backed him against the wall beside the garage’s tool chest, it deepened. His lips were soft but urgent, fingers flexing against your sides like he couldn’t believe this was real.

He broke away just long enough to say, “You’re gonna ruin me, you know that?”

You smiled against his jaw, lips brushing his skin. “I’m counting on it.”

Clothes stayed mostly on. But hands wandered. A little too long under your shirt, his rings cold against warm skin. Your fingers tangled in his hair, tugging a soft noise from the back of his throat that made your stomach flutter.

The garage door was still open.

“I should not be doing this here,” you murmured against his lips, breathless, giggling.

“Tell that to yourself, then,” Eddie said, nipping at your bottom lip.

You kissed him like you meant to stay longer — and Eddie kissed you back like he didn’t want to let you leave.

What started near the open garage doors quickly got too bold, too heated. A quiet moan slipped out before you could stop it, and Eddie froze like a deer in headlights. His eyes darted to the open lot.

“Office,” he mumbled. “Now.”

You both practically stumbled inside, laughing between kisses. The office door shut behind you with a muffled click — suddenly, the hum of the fan was the only sound, and it felt like you were in a different world.

Eddie backed you against the wall first, lips trailing down your neck, one hand resting just above your hip while the other cupped your cheek. He kissed you like he was trying to learn you — slow at first, but full of quiet hunger.

Then he stopped.

His eyes searched yours, lips parted, chest rising and falling. “Are you sure?” he asked, voice hoarse. “With me?”

You nodded, without a second of hesitation. “Are you seriously still asking that?”

A beat passed. Then he muttered, “Okay,” like a promise.

His fingers slid under your shirt again — bolder this time, less cautious — and you tugged at the hem until he helped you pull it over your head. You made quick work of his, revealing the lines of his pale torso, lean and dusted with grease smudges and freckles.

You kissed each other like you were making up for lost time.

Eddie's hands wandered lower, gripping your thighs as he lifted you up against the wall, breath hot against your cheek. “Tell me if it’s too much,” he murmured.

“It’s not enough,” you whispered back.

That did it. His mouth crashed into yours again — desperate, teeth and tongue and breathless heat.

Then he carried you to the desk, setting you down like you were something fragile. The fan buzzed above as his fingers skimmed over your waistband, eyes locked on yours the whole time.

“Still good?” he asked.

You answered by kissing him again, and guiding his hand where you wanted it.

His fingers traced gentle shapes over your clit — feather-light at first, almost teasing, like he wanted to hear you beg. When he slipped past the seam and touched you — properly — your breath hitched.

“God, you're soaked,” he whispered. “Is that all for me?”

You nodded, flushed and smiling. “Who else?”

He watched your expression the whole time, eyes dark, lips parted, the tips of his fingers slick with you. “Holy fuck,” he whispered. “You’re so soft…”

Your hands slid down to his belt, tugging at the buckle with shaking fingers. He let out a half-laugh, half-groan. “God, you’re gonna kill me.”

When his dick pressed against your thigh, hot and heavy even through his boxers, you felt the last of your patience snap. He leaned over you, foreheads touching, both of you half-dressed and frantic.

“Please,” you said, soft, just for him.

He kissed you again before he pushed down his boxers past his knees. When you saw his dick, thick and flushed, your stomach flipped in the best way.

He lined up, pushing in slow — steady, careful, giving you time.

His breath hitched as he slid into your entrance, stretching you in a way that made you gasp into his shoulder. His hands shook a little where they gripped the desk beside your hips.

“Fuck,” he groaned, dick buried to the hilt. “You feel… insane. You feel perfect.”

Eddie kissed every inch he could reach — your shoulders, your jaw, the hollow beneath your ear. His hands gripped your hips like he couldn’t let go. You tangled your fingers in his hair, nails dragging lightly down his back.

You whispered each other's names like secrets. You clung to him like he was the only real thing in the world.

The desk creaked beneath you with every thrust, the sound swallowed by the way your bodies met, again and again. His hands gripped your waist like you were the only thing anchoring him to the earth.

“I’m—close,” he admitted in a shaky breath, pressing his forehead to yours.

You nodded, moaning softly. “Me too. Don’t stop, Eds, don’t—”

You came first, thighs trembling, body arching as pleasure rolled through you in slow waves. Eddie followed almost instantly, hips stuttering, arms wrapping tightly around you as he let go with a broken sound against your neck.

For a long time after, the only sounds were your uneven breathing and the faint faint creak of the ceiling fan. He was still buried inside you, arms loose around your waist.

You were still curled up in the mess of discarded clothes and paperwork, your head against his chest, the fan doing a miserable job at cooling the both of you down.

Eddie was blinking up at the ceiling, completely flushed, dazed.

You grinned, breathless. “Don’t worry... I’m still gonna pay for the car.”

He let out a helpless laugh and pressed a kiss to your hair. “That’s not even close to what I’m worried about.”

[fantasticarcadefan]

The Stream

Part 1: Awakening

Warning: OOC, inaccurate character representation, possibly inaccurate workplace, Imposter SAGAU, lmk if there's more.

It's been over 30 hours since Genshin went down, and there was still no news from Mihoyo about it getting back online. The players were looking for ways to entertain themselves. The out of game community was growing in terms of activity due to how long this crash was.

With it being over a day, players are still hopeful on it being resolved soon, but our starting to get concerned about the lack of an official response from the devs about it getting back online soon, with the only response being that the game experienced a major error with a new patch, and they were working to get it fixed.

That is what Jason knew. He, his other friends, Olivia and Jack, and his sister, Jasmine, have been browsing Reddit, Twitch, Tumblr, and Twitter for any info on the game going back. And it's not like they could go through the files to try and figure out what's causing this, cause their friend, Y/N, haven't responded to their messages ever since this whole thing begun.

You've made some mods for your friends, ranging from new enemies, to better chances at rolls, and even a new nation you were working on, unlike those of Earth's past, which was oddly similar to the Telaki culture that was seen combined with Inazuma before the crash. When you were asked about it, you weren't sure if they were serious or joking, with you only realizing the truth upon being shown an image of the new Inazuma, which had you baffled.

Right now, the group is currently on a discord call, browsing various social media platforms, ranging from Twitch to Twitter, looking for answers that could possibly explain the shutdown. "Anything yet?" asked Jasmine, "Nothing." He replied, not finding anything of use on Twitch.

Most of the streams there were of the lore that was dropped, as well as some interviews with the voice actors, with a few of the streams being scam streams. As he kept browsing Twitch, he noticed a new stream, called "The Hunt", about to start soon.

"Huh." Jason says, a little intrigued at the title. "What is it?" Asked Jack, curious on Jason's thoughts. "Just an odd title of a stream starting soon." He said, going to the profile, only to see nothing there.

"What the?" He says, confused on the lack of account. "What is it?" Olivia asked. "There's no account!" Jason yelled, reloading the page to still find no account there. "Really?", "No way", "Are you sure?", they say, unconvinced. "Yes I'm sure. I'll send you guys the link." He says, copying the link and posting it to their chat.

A few seconds later, disbelief rang throughout the call. "What the??" "How is this possible?" "This is live soon, wtf?" Were some of the things said by the group.

"Alright then." Jason said once everyone calmed down. "It's evident that this stream is odd, with it having no account broadcasting it. It says that it's going to start soon, so do we watch this, or keep browsing?" Jason asks, taking note of their choices.

"Sure" "Why not." "Okay." The group says, all clicking on the stream, waiting for it to start.

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

The developer offices were in a more chaotic state. Ever since the sudden shutdown, they haven't been able to save any of the changes they made to their game, with any change made causing the game to crash the game engine, and in some cases where heavier changes were applied, the computer itself.

One notable effect being reported across the board was the inhabitants of Teyvat all being alive, regardless of the game being run or not, with something akin to a temple being built near Liyue, as well as the NPC's all worshiping a new one called "The Creator", who didn't look like any Mihoyo employees when cross referenced with their employee data base, crossing out any conspiracy by them for the mean time despite suspioins remaining.

These problems were what Robert Lin was dealing with. Ever since the game went down, he and other development team leaders have been doing double time in order to find the root of this crash, or as he and some of the others were thinking, cyber attack.

Right now, he was in a call with several other game developer team leaders and a supervisor about any progress as of now, with it happening on a laptop at his supervisor's request, for the ability to see developments should they occur during a meeting.

"It's been 30 hours and we still have nothing?!" A disgruntled voice yells over the speakers of his office. The voice comes from Chang's Lao, his supervisor from China. "Sir, all attempts to change it have been unable to be saved, with even attempts to revert to old versions failing." Came the voice of his colleague, Elise Toutain, who oversaw the developers in France and led the development of Fontaine.

"What do you mean, unable to revert!?" Came Chang's enraged calls. "You developers are the only ones that have access to our projects, or are you gonna tell me an intern at Unity screwed us over??!!" He yells, before taking a deep breath, looking at them.

"What of this, "creator", that the NPC's are worshiping? What do we know about them?" He asks, seemingly trying to change the topic.

"From what we've seen," came the response of Higa Azami, head of the Japanese branch and lead developer of Inazuma, "it seems to be manipulating the game to its will in light ways, in the form of giving visions to NPC's who were previously visionless in the game files and strengthening characters that show loyalty to it. However, the land, animals, and monsters around it seem to freeze up around it, with it attacking the monsters and animals around it with each in game element, purplish abyssal energy beams, and golden pillars." She says, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"The spared go berserk, attacking all in sight before dying. She finishes, looking back at Chang, seeking a further response. Chang goes ahead and takes a sip of tea before looking at the dev leads.

"Has there been any other developments besides the undeveloped lands being added?"He asks, double checking for any new events.

That was another major change. The Snezhnaya, Khaenri'ah, the Abyss, and Celestia were added when the game went down.

Snezhnaya was mostly in development, with developers only recently starting to add buildings into it, with some debates about building placement in the nation wrapping up.

Khaenri'ah was still in the drafts, with many major buildings still being drawn, with the general area of the nation now being just being a wasteland, mainly inhabited by Hilichurls and Abyss mages. Danisleaf had been seen waging war against the Abyss Order, led by the abyss twin, Lumine.

The Abyss follows its namesake, just an empty void, filled with floating islands where enemies that were both already seen and monstrous entities that haven't been planned or scrapped on some of these islands.

Unlike the rest of Teyvat, the developers were unable to get a view of Celestia, with all attempts ending in their computers crashing and needing to be reset.

The best they have been able to do is map out it's approximate area, with it being around the size of Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma and the wilderness in between, on the ocean east of the game's mainland.

"There is one sir." Came the voice of Safar Naser, the lead Sumeru developer and head of the Egyptian branch. "We've been browsing the files and found the files carrying the "Creators" attacks, with each attack being heavily layered upon their in-game energy." He says, doing air quotations upon saying creator.

"However, the computers used to identify them were overheating, needing to be reset. When reopened, the files for the attacks were moved elsewhere, currently unknown." He says, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"It's highly likely that these attacks, and this Creator as a result, are playing a critical part in this virus or is the embodiment of this virus. We're double checking our firewalls and attempting to identify the virus's origin." He finishes, looking at Chang.

Cheng takes a deep breath, seemingly in deep. The devs wait for a response. "Have me notified of any future developments." He says, formulating a plan.

"For now, continue observing the game. Work with each other to identify any possible inconsistencies in between versions. I will be contacting Liu Wei about this. It's possible that this virus will spread to other games, so expect contact from the other dev teams. I would recommend hiring observers in the meantime so you can keep a wa-" the door to Roberts office is slammed open with an intern, Wyatt Icnez, his tags read, being the one responsible. "Sir!" He screamed, catching his breath.

Robert responded to the employee, having been startled by him. "Wyatt, this better be a development, if not-"

"That's the thing sir." He says, taking deep breaths. "There's another creator, and the system says that they're a player."

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

You thought you slept on a weird side of the couch when you were unable to find the usual comfort of the surface when you awoke.

Moving around, you still were unable to find it. 'Why is this so unco-' your thoughts froze as you felt the coolness of water.

Expecting to be dumped somewhere with it, you quickly awoke, and got away from the coolness, determined to stay dry.

It was only then that you realized that you didn't know where you were, yet this place bore a striking resemblance to a few beaches in Teyvat.

'Okay, this is some weird shit.' You think to yourself, going to run your eyes when you notice your hands.

They bore resemblance to the styles that ran in Mihoyo's games.

Being a little freaked out by this, you decide to go ahead and pinch yourself in the slightest bit of hope that this was some new evolution or a dream.

To your horror, you felt it. 'Okay, okay, just take deep breaths' you thought to yourself, realizing you somehow got Isekaied to Genshin.

Deciding to try and focus on something else and delay the breakdown of being in Teyvat, you walk up the path, heading away from the beach, where you came across a cliff, where you had to climb.

That's when you realized that you were in Mondstadt. As you began climbing, you felt the rocks get easier to climb. While thinking about what to do there, your thoughts turned to a small concern, to the SAGAU fanfic, specifically the imposter ones.

You shook those off, thinking they were mere superstitions, wandering into Starfell lake. Unaware of those there.

As you wander through the lake, you take in the landscape of the forest. 'This is beautiful.' You think to yourself, going to pick up a flower. As you pick and smell it, something is heard from behind you. Before you could react, a sharp pain pierces you on the back shoulder.

Looking at your back, you're horrified to find that you've been shot in the back with an arrow, looking at the origin of the shot, you expected a Hillichurl to be attacking you, only to find your attacker to be Amber.

Only then did you realize,

You were being hunted.

[duskstargazer]

"Dear Christopher. Here is your friend Thomas the Tank Engine. He wanted to come out of his station yard and see the world. These stories tell you how he did it. I hope you will like them, because you helped me to make them." - Wilbert Awdry

"The passengers were thrilled. Most had their heads out of windows. They waved and shouted, cheering Edward on.

The Fat Controller paced the platform. Henry with the Special train waited anxiously too.

They heard a "Peep! Peep!" Then, battered, weary, but unbeaten, Edward steamed in." - The Narrator

"So, with 7101 growling in front, and Henry gamely puffing in the middle, the long cavalcade set out for the next Big Station.

Donald and Flying Scotsman were waiting. They cheered as Henry puffed past.

The passengers buzzed out like angry bees; but the Fat Controller told them about Henry, so they forgot to be cross and thanked Henry instead.

They called him an enterprising engine, and took his photograph." - The Narrator.

"An Alliance, Thomas, 'United we stand, together we fall'. You help me, and I help you. How about it?" - Gordon

"I was in Edward's train, and saw everything. You've made the most troublesome trucks on the line behave. After that, you deserve to keep your red coat." - The Fat Controller

"Harold told me you were - er - wizard, Percy. He says he can beat you at some things… …but not at being a submarine. I don't know what you've both been playing at, and I won't ask! But I do know that you're a Really Useful Engine." - The Fat Controller.

"Toby made the trucks behave even better than Thomas did. At first, Thomas was jealous, but he was so pleased when Toby rang his bell and made the policeman jump that they have been firm friends ever since." - The Narrator

"You were very brave indeed. I'm proud of you. I shall tell 'City of Truro' about you next time he comes." - The Fat Controller

[…]

A happy 80th anniversary to the iconic franchise that brings us all together.

[orange-blob-of-pixles]

FINALLY FINISHED THE SNOODS

THESE ARE ALL THE SNOODS FROM THE GAME SNOOD THAT I DREW

This was possibly my favourite thing to draw and I love them all!!!!!

For those who don’t know the hit 1996 game snood:

Download this then load the next file with the dos core

https://archive.org/details/Snood_20180218

[bestducky]

Master Chief x fem! Reader

Chapter 4: That's one big map!

Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Summary: Bridges made of light!? Portals!? Can we please use a normal form of transportation!

Notes: Things get more interesting, I changed some scenes from the game, otherwise everything is canon!

The path ahead rose gently, carved from cracked stone and overgrown with wild grass that rustled under their boots. At the summit, something utterly alien dominated the landscape. (Y/N) felt herself slow as they approached. The building was massive—an impossible fusion of nature and machine. Its outer shell gleamed a pale, metallic white under the filtered sunlight, so smooth and seamless it could have been poured from the sky itself. Luminous accents of blue and gold traced delicate patterns across the surface, pulsing softly with a life all their own.

It was beautiful in a way that felt almost cruel.

The air around them buzzed faintly, the hum of unseen energies vibrating against her skin. The closer they got, the more the world itself seemed to quiet—no birds, no insects, only the low, ever-present sound of power thrumming through the ground.

(Y/N) tightened her arms around herself, feeling the rough fabric of her shirt between her fingers. Every logical part of her brain screamed at her to stop, to turn back, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. There was something terrifying about the structure's perfection, something deeply wrong in how it stood untouched by time, by decay, as if it had simply been waiting.

Chief moved ahead without hesitation, his heavy steps unwavering. (Y/N) trailed after him, her own movements cautious, almost reverent. Her gaze flicked across the strange architecture—arching spires, floating platforms suspended in shafts of golden light, walls that shimmered like living stone. She had never seen anything like it. Nothing human, nothing natural.

When they reached the entrance, she hesitated.

The doorway stood three stories high, no hinge or seam, only veins of light tracing its edges. No handle, no welcome—just silent, mathematical permission. Then, with a deep, resonant groan, the metal split along hidden seams. Panels shifted and slid into the walls with fluid precision, revealing a passageway beyond. Cold air spilled out, brushing against her skin with a strange electric bite.

(Y/N) flinched back instinctively, heart hammering against her ribs. She had seen automatic doors before—at malls, at hospitals—but this was different. There had been no sensor, no sound of hydraulics, no visible command. It had reacted to them as if it knew they were there.

She stared into the gaping entrance, her muscles locked in indecision. Every part of her screamed that this was wrong, that stepping through would be a mistake she couldn’t undo. She looked toward Chief. He waited at the threshold, one solid hand resting lightly against the frame, his gold visor reflecting her small, frozen figure back at her.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to.

She clenched her fists at her sides, feeling the sharp bite of her nails against her palms, and forced herself to move. One step. Another.

The moment she crossed the threshold, the hum grew stronger. Not louder—but deeper, like a bass note thrumming in the bones of the world. The air inside was colder, thinner, laced with a metallic tang that tasted like ozone.

The walls of the corridor were impossibly smooth, curving upward into a vaulted ceiling etched with glowing lines of shifting script. The floor underfoot was the same seamless white metal, marred only by hairline fractures spiderwebbing outward like old scars. Shafts of pale light streamed down from hidden sources far above, catching in the mist that clung low around their boots.

(Y/N) slowed, tilting her head back to stare at the dizzying height. Awe prickled down her spine, battling fear. It was too much. Too alien. Her engineer's brain itched to understand the mechanics of it—the materials, the construction—but her instincts recoiled. This wasn’t built. This was grown. Or shaped by hands that didn’t think the way human hands did.

Her fingertips brushed lightly against the wall. It was cool to the touch, almost soft, as if the metal itself was breathing. She snatched her hand back, heart leaping.

Chief kept moving ahead at an even pace, scanning the path with methodical sweeps of his rifle. His steady presence anchored her, gave her a rhythm to follow when her mind wanted to spiral into panic.

(Y/N) forced herself to breathe slowly.

One step at a time.

One breath at a time.

The corridor opened wider ahead, revealing a massive inner chamber lit by an eerie, sourceless glow. Great pillars of white stone and metal spiraled toward the unseen ceiling, their surfaces engraved with delicate patterns that seemed to shift when she wasn’t looking directly at them. Floating platforms drifted lazily through the air, tethered by thin streams of crackling energy. In the center of the room, a towering obelisk pulsed with soft light, casting long shadows across the misty floor.

She turned slowly in place, trying to take it all in—the impossible architecture, the terrible beauty of it. Her heart ached with the enormity of it all, a sharp, painful longing for home, for anything familiar.

(Y/N) stopped dead in the entrance, her breath catching painfully in her throat.

An immense circular platform stretched out before them, suspended high above a bottomless abyss by columns of shifting, braided light. Floating geometric shapes drifted lazily through the air, orbiting a towering central spire that pulsed with a cool blue glow. Narrow bridges branched out from the platform’s edges, leading into darkness and distant doors she couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

Above them, the ceiling disappeared into swirling mist lit by shafts of golden sunlight that filtered down like something holy.

(Y/N) swallowed hard, her hand tightening instinctively around the hem of her shirt. This wasn’t architecture. This wasn’t construction.

It was like stepping into the exposed skeleton of a god.

A sudden metallic trill echoed overhead. Narrow panels in the floor parted, and a flock of small machines drifted out on columns of pale light—orb-shaped cores ringed by three razor-thin arms that clicked and realigned with unnerving grace. Their central lenses glowed a cool amber as they fanned across the chamber.

(Y/N) took an involuntary step behind Chief’s bulk. “Uh—what are those flying machines?”

“Sentinels,” Cortana supplied, tone matter-of-fact. “Automated Forerunner custodians. They’ll monitor us unless we give them a reason to do something less friendly.”

One Sentinel paused directly in front of (Y/N). A lattice of light swept over her—head to toe—then receded. The machine issued a soft chirp, as if filing her under mildly interesting, and floated away.

She let out the breath she’d been storing. “Good to know we’re only rated ‘minor inconvenience.’ “

Chief resumed his advance, apparently satisfied the drones posed no threat. Their amber eyes tracked him for a moment, then drifted upward, leaving the platform clear for Cortana’s console work. (Y/N) followed slower, unable to tear her eyes from the grandeur towering above and around them, even after the Sentinels had left.

Cortana materialized as Chief slotted her into the console—her form flickering to life in a bloom of soft blue light above the smooth surface.

(Y/N) stopped a few paces back, watching in awe as Cortana's hologram leaned over the console, her fingers moving through holographic displays that shifted and twisted at her command.

"We’re close," Cortana said, her voice sharp and focused. "I’m picking up faint distress signals—"

(Y/N) tilted her head. "From what?"

Cortana glanced over her shoulder at her, faint amusement flashing through her flickering form. "Infinity," she said simply.

(Y/N) blinked. "Infinity?"

Chief answered without looking away from the room, his voice low and steady. "UNSC Infinity. Our supercarrier. Biggest ship in the fleet."

(Y/N) nodded slowly, her mind trying to wrap itself around the concept. Even the words felt too big. Supercarrier. Fleet. It made her world—the small workshops, the crowded streets—feel impossibly distant.

She watched as Cortana plunged deeper into the console’s systems, chasing something only she could see.

Then suddenly, without warning, the entire console shuddered violently. Cortana's form blinked and distorted before being violently ejected in a burst of static, her figure collapsing into thin air.

(Y/N) flinched back instinctively.

Cortana’s voice snapped sharply over the comms. "They’re locking me out of the system!"

The console darkened, streams of glyphs racing like veins across the platform as hidden mechanisms clicked into motion deep beneath the floor.

Chief stepped forward immediately, already assessing, already planning.

Cortana's voice crackled through again. "There’s still a way. Power couplings, connected to the core systems. If we can re-enable them, I can regain control."

(Y/N) watched as parts of the platform shifted—strange mechanical flowers unfolding from the walls to reveal pathways across the abyss.

Two glowing bridges of light—narrow and unstable-looking—extended from the platform toward floating generator nodes embedded in the stone around the perimeter.

Chief started toward the nearest path without hesitation.

(Y/N) stared at the luminous walkway, her heart hammering.

It wasn't solid. It wasn’t natural. It was a ribbon of pure energy stretching over a drop so deep it made her dizzy to look at it.

And yet—

A small, fierce spark lit inside her chest.

Beneath the fear, the awe, the endless crushing wrongness of everything around her, there was something else.

Excitement.

Her hands itched at her sides, aching for tools she didn’t have.

"This is..." she whispered under her breath, almost laughing in disbelief, "This is insane."

Chief paused halfway across the platform, turning slightly to glance back at her.

She shook her head, grinning despite herself. "Back home I was... sort of an engineer," she admitted, voice still breathless with awe. "Or at least, I tried to be."

Her fingers brushed lightly against the glowing lines on the nearest column as she passed, feeling the faint warmth radiating from the Forerunner metal.

"I used to fix broken junk in my apartment," she said, almost to herself. "Now I’m walking on light bridges built by gods."

Chief didn’t answer—he just nodded once, a small, silent approval she could feel in the gesture.

The platform beneath her boots vibrated faintly as the structure shifted again, unseen systems stirring in the depths.

(Y/N) pulled in a slow breath, steadying herself.

She had no tools.

No manuals.

No backup.

But somehow, in this broken, alien place, for the first time in what felt like days—

She wasn’t useless.

Not yet.

Not today.

And that would have to be enough.

They moved across the first bridge of light, the endless drop yawning hungrily below.

Behind them, the Cartographer core pulsed faintly, waiting for the system to come alive again.

And yet, some part of her—buried deep beneath the fear—ached with a different feeling.

Wonder.

Terrible, aching wonder.

(Y/N) hugged herself tightly, trying to hold the feeling together before it could tear her apart.

Chief stood nearby, silent and patient.

Waiting.

Always waiting.

She met his gaze—or rather, the reflection of herself in the gold mirror of his visor—and felt a tiny, fierce spark of determination flicker inside her.

She wasn't ready for this world.

She didn't belong here.

But she was here anyway.

The bridge of light solidified beneath their boots as they moved, humming with an almost musical resonance. (Y/N) kept her eyes forward, trying not to think about the abyss yawning on either side. The first generator came into view—a massive pillar of smooth metal carved with shifting glyphs. Its surface pulsed faintly, a heartbeat buried under layers of ancient code.

Chief reached it first.

He moved with efficiency, placing a gloved hand flat against a recessed panel. A series of symbols flared to life beneath his palm, and with a deep, resonant hum, the pillar began to unfold. Light spilled upward in a sudden surge, stretching back toward the core platform where Cortana waited.

(Y/N) flinched slightly at the sudden flare, but it was beautiful—like watching a sun rise in fast-forward.

Before they could admire it, Cortana’s voice snapped through the comms.

"Contacts! Covenant forces incoming!"

(Y/N)'s blood went cold.

She turned instinctively—and there, across the broken stone and floating pathways, a ripple of distortion twisted into reality. Bright bursts of energy crackled into existence, forming the squat, hunched shapes she recognized from before. Grunts. Behind them, taller, more imposing figures materialized, weapons raised, armor glinting in the strange half-light.

Panic surged in her chest.

Without thinking, she darted toward the nearest cover—an outcropping of fractured Forerunner metal at the edge of the platform. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps as she pressed herself against the cold surface, heart hammering wildly.

Blasts of plasma sizzled through the air.

Chief was already moving—fluid, precise, a living machine of destruction. He dropped into the fray with brutal efficiency, plasma bouncing harmlessly from his shielded armor as he cleared a path with his rifle.

(Y/N) crouched lower, arms wrapped tight around her knees, fighting the instinct to squeeze her eyes shut.

Stay calm. Stay hidden. Let him handle it.

That had been the plan.

Until she realized where she had ended up.

Through the shifting haze of battle, she spotted it— another generator, nearly identical to the first, tucked against the far side of the platform. The second activation point.

And she was closer to it than Chief was.

Far closer.

(Y/N) hesitated, terror clawing at her throat. Plasma scorched the air overhead. She ducked instinctively, her muscles locking.

She could stay here. Hide.

Let Chief deal with it.

Or—

She swallowed hard, heart slamming against her ribs, and pushed herself up into a low crouch.

I’m not useless. I’m not dead weight.

She forced her legs to move, darting from cover to cover, keeping her body low as she sprinted toward the pillar. Every step felt like it could be her last, but somehow—miraculously—nothing hit her.

The generator towered above her, humming with latent energy.

(Y/N) stared up at it, trying to remember what Chief had done. The panel—his hand—the symbols—

Biting her lip, she mimicked his movements as best she could, pressing her palm flat against the smooth surface.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then the pillar pulsed under her hand.

And the entire structure responded—not sluggishly, not with mechanical delay, but immediately. Like a living thing recognizing something familiar.

Light flared upward in a brilliant rush, faster and brighter than before.

(Y/N) flinched back, shielding her eyes.

She stared at the activated console for a stunned second, blinking.

"...Huh," she muttered under her breath, brushing dust off her jeans. "Thought it would take longer."

The words left her mouth without thought, more confusion than pride. She stepped back quickly, scanning for cover again as the battle raged nearby.

Chief, having just cleared the last of the nearby Covenant, turned at the sudden surge of light. His helmet tilted slightly, his posture shifting in that subtle, careful way she was starting to recognize.

Assessing.

Calculating.

Cortana's voice chimed in the comms, sharp but not accusing. "The generator’s online. Faster than expected."

(Y/N) ducked her head, half-shrugging as she jogged back toward them. "Got lucky," she called out breathlessly.

Neither Chief nor Cortana answered immediately. But as she fell into step behind him again, she could feel it—their attention lingering just a moment longer than usual.

Not suspicion, but respect, if she could call it that. Which made her proud, showing them, she wasn’t just useless.

The bridge behind them solidified, a new path unfolding back toward the core platform.

(Y/N) tightened her fists at her sides, her skin still tingling faintly where she had touched the console.

She didn’t understand what had happened.

The chamber shuddered.

A deep, resonant hum rolled through the floor under (Y/N)’s boots, rattling up through her spine as the Cartographer core flared to life.

The central spire blazed upward in a torrent of shifting blue light, expanding outward like a living tree made of pure energy. Thin strands of illumination spiraled across the platform, connecting the floating islands of Forerunner machinery with lines of burning code. Above them, a massive holographic sphere unfolded—spinning slowly, casting fractured light across the mist-filled air.

(Y/N) staggered back half a step, head tilted back in awe. The sphere was enormous, suspended above the platform like a captured star, its surface rippling with images she couldn’t understand—maps, symbols, complex structures forming and dissolving in impossible patterns.

It was breathtaking. And terrifying.

Nothing human could have made this.

She stared, glasses slipping down the bridge of her nose, lips parted in stunned silence. It wasn’t just technology. It was art. It was language. It was alive in a way no machine back home had ever been.

Cortana flickered into existence at the console nearby, her form brighter now, energized by the facility’s systems. She moved with quick, precise gestures, manipulating the swirling mass of information with her bare hands like a conductor orchestrating a symphony only she could hear.

"There," Cortana said sharply, highlighting a section of the sphere. "Deep beneath the surface. There's an access point near the core. If we reach it, we might be able to find the source of the signal."

Chief stood still, his rifle lowered for now, his gold visor catching and scattering the light from the hologram.

(Y/N) looked between them, frowning slightly. "Wait—core? As in, 'center of the planet' core?"

Cortana didn’t look up. "More or less. This entire installation is built around it."

(Y/N) blinked, then gave a short, incredulous laugh.

"Oh, great," she muttered. "We’re digging our own grave now. Didn’t know self-burial was part of the mission."

Chief’s helmet tilted slightly, a small, almost imperceptible movement. If he was amused, he gave no sign—but Cortana’s mouth twitched faintly at the corner, a shadow of a smile.

"It’s not ideal," Cortana admitted, her tone dry. "But it's our only option."

The platform beneath them shifted again, deep, grinding tremors rolling through the massive structure as more pathways unfolded—narrow bridges of white stone and shimmering light stretching downward into the misty abyss.

(Y/N) swallowed hard, her stomach flipping uncomfortably.

Lower. Always lower.

She shifted the strap of her glasses nervously, tightening her hands into fists to hide the slight tremble in her fingers.

Chief moved first, stepping onto the newly formed bridge without hesitation.

(Y/N) hesitated a breath longer.

The glowing lines pulsed underfoot, inviting them downward into the heart of a dead world.

"Great," she muttered under her breath, voice almost lost in the rising hum. "First the end of the world, now spelunking into alien hell."

Still— she followed.

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

The corridor widened until it dissolved into light. Stone gave way to a sweeping ledge, and (Y/N) found herself staring at a sky that seemed too large for any horizon she had ever known. Mountains reared up in fractured ridges, their peaks lost in bright, swirling haze. Great white spires of Forerunner alloy pierced the cliffsides; smaller monoliths hung motionless in mid-air, tethered to the earth below by ribbons of molten-blue energy. Far beneath the ledge, rivers of light wound through silver forests and out across a valley floor she could barely see.

One step carried her onto weather-worn stone. The breeze was thin and metallic—sharp enough to sting her nose, scented with rock dust and something faintly electrical. She gripped her sleeves, half for warmth, half because the view threatened to tip the world sideways.

Back home she’d fixed radios in cramped apartments, brushed rust from broken circuit boards, breathed city air heavy with exhaust. Now she stood on a mountainside that wasn’t even on her star chart—still not sure which star chart she belonged to anymore.

Chief moved ahead along a narrow path etched into the plateau. Cortana’s hologram glimmered at his shoulder, her voice soft in the comm line. “The distress signal’s stronger out here. A Terminus should be deeper in the structure beyond those cliffs.”

(Y/N) followed, forcing calm into her steps. Somewhere overhead a floating platform drifted, its underside latticed with lights that rearranged themselves like living circuitry. Her heart ached to understand it. Part of her wanted to laugh—of course she’d crossed half a galaxy only to find the most advanced machinery in existence and not a single tool in her pocket.

A gust of wind stirred the grass at the cliff’s edge. Homesickness punched through her chest: not for an exact street or building, just for sidewalks, neon reflections in puddles, the warm buzz of voices carried on traffic noise. Normal things. Earth things. A world that still existed—somewhere, impossibly far behind her—but no longer within reach.

She rubbed the heel of her hand against her sternum, steadying her breathing. Chief glanced back; his gold visor caught daylight and threw it in fractured sparks. He waited until her steps matched his again before pressing forward.

They wound down a sloping ramp toward another entrance carved into the cliff face: tall, flawless, rimmed with glowing script. Luminous glyphs whispered across the doorframe, as though debating whether to let them pass.

(Y/N) swallowed. She was most likely light-years from every reference point she’d ever trusted, walking into halls no human had mapped. Yet the path kept opening, and Chief kept moving, and she—somehow—kept following. Hoping she could go back to Earth. They knew about it, so maybe it was possible?

One step at a time, she told herself as the massive doorway parted with a deep metallic sigh, spilling cool blue light across the stone

The corridor sloped steadily, each level dropping them a little farther beneath the mountain. No sudden lifts, no shimmering portals—just a long march down pristine ramps of pale alloy. The walls glowed with thin seams of light that pulsed in a lazy heartbeat, guiding the way deeper into Requiem’s silent gut.

(Y/N) stayed close to Chief yet still far enough back to stare at everything. Where cracked stone met seamless metal, she traced faint scorch patterns as though someone had once tried—and failed—to cut this place open. Half-buried conduits pulsed behind translucent panels; every so often, a thread of energy leapt from one vein to another, throwing sparks of blue across the floor.

“Hard to believe this is all older than humanity,” she murmured.

“It predates most recorded Forerunner history,” Cortana replied, voice projected from the slip-space of (Y/N)’s earpiece.“Even their own archives call this period ‘pre-dominion.’”

“Translation: antique.” (Y/N) smiled. “My specialty.”

Chief’s boots thudded on the ramp, otherwise silent. (Y/N) shot a glance at his broad back, then lowered her voice into a mock whisper. “Does he ever say more than seven words in a day, or is that classified?”

Cortana’s voice said, which sounded suspiciously like amusement. “You get used to the economy of syllables.”

Ahead, a small alcove opened on the left, housing a waist-high console the color of polished bone. Glyphs drifted lazily across its face like embers floating on water. Chief passed it without slowing, but (Y/N)’s feet stopped on their own.

Curiosity won before common sense could throw a flag. She reached out, brushed the back of her fingers over the smooth surface.

Light flared. Symbols realigned into crisp lines of text no human alphabet had ever taught her. She yelped and jerked back. “Whoa—sorry! Didn’t mean to wake you.”

The console dimmed again, settling into a quiet pulse that almost felt amused. Nothing else stirred.

Chief paused, half turning. “Status?”

“Fine,” she said, cheeks hot. “Console’s friendly. Or merciful. One of those.”

Cortana’s avatar flickered up beside the panel, arms folded. “Whatever you did, you pinged a diagnostics sub-routine. No harm done.” She smiled—just a hint. “Consider it a handshake.”

“Great. I nearly shook hands with a supercomputer the size of a continent.” (Y/N) flexed her fingers, still tingling. “Back home I needed two weeks just to get a toaster to stop murdering bread.”

“You were an engineer,” Cortana ventured as they resumed walking.

“Amateur scavenger, borderline fire hazard—depends who you ask.” She smiled despite herself. “But yeah. I liked fixing things that had no business working.”

Chief led them onto a ascending ramp. The air cooled further; somewhere below, turbines—or lungs—hummed in steady rhythm.

“Part of me wants to take one of these panels apart,” (Y/N) admitted. “Other part remembers the plasma grenades and votes no.”

“Wise,” Cortana said. “Forerunner tech isn’t forgiving. Though you seem to have a… rapport.” Her tone held cautious curiosity rather than suspicion.

“Rapport with walls. My résumé keeps improving.”

Chief’s voice cut in quietly. “Stay focused. Unidentified hostiles still in the area.”

“Right. Serious mode.” (Y/N) mimed zipping her lips, shooting the gesture toward Cortana since Chief’s broad back was already turned to lead the way.

Surprisingly, the AI’s hologram matched the motion—two translucent fingers pinching an invisible zipper across her own glowing mouth. The playful mirrored action was so unexpected (Y/N) couldn’t help the soft grin that bloomed on her face before she hurried after Chief up the ramp, a little warmth flickering in her chest at the first spark of real companionship.

The giant door split apart with a groan, light shearing through the seams until each half slid into the walls. A causeway of white alloy extended beyond—straight, narrow, and impossibly long, suspended over a gulf so deep (Y/N) could see no bottom. Giant pillars—huge hexagonal shafts of metal and stone—rose and sank far below in slow, deliberate patterns, as if the planet itself were breathing through machinery.

At the bridge’s end, a lone console glowed—an altar of glass-smooth metal awaiting a key. Chief strode toward it, and (Y/N) hurried to keep up, clutching her palm against her side. Halfway across, the voice slid into her thoughts again—clearer now, cold as split granite: Reclaimer… fracture… unworthy. She winced, pressing fingers to her temple.

What the hell was that?

Chief reached the console and slotted Cortana’s data chip into the interface. Only then did her hologram flare to life, casting pale blue over the platform.

“According to the Cathedral,” Cortana began, scanning glyphs far above (Y/N)’s comprehension, “this Terminus is just one node of a larger transit grid that spans the entire planet.”

Chief’s visor never left the shifting projections. “What?”

“When I tried to access the outlet closest to Infinity’s transmissions, the system responded with this.”

An emblem spun into view—two arcs orbiting a single dot.

“What is it?” Chief asked.

Cortana’s tone turned almost breathless. “That’s the kicker. It’s the Forerunner symbol for Reclaimer.”

Humanity. The word fell through her like lead shot—heavy, irreversible.

“Humanity,” Chief confirmed. “That’s got to be Infinity. Can you get us to those coordinates?”

“Let me try to open a portal.”

“Whoa, portal?” (Y/N) blurted before she could stop herself. The last “portal” she’d experienced ripped her straight out of her apartment. “We’re skipping steps here, guys!”

Cortana didn’t answer. Light whipped around her, coalescing into a sphere—and then everything faltered. Her hologram stuttered, static rippling across her edges.

“I’m picking up unknown energy signatures,” she said, voice tight.

Chief’s grip shifted on his rifle. “Where?”

“This can’t be right.” Cortana’s figure dimmed but remained fixed in the console. “Set a waypoint out of the tower—”

She broke off as a violent tremor shook the bridge. Beneath them, the pillars surged upward like spears. From their mirrored faces unfolded shapes—metal giants that assembled themselves in glowing seams. From her point of view, they stood maybe even taller than Chief, plated in shifting segments, skull-like masks bathed in amber light; forearms unfolded into blades of crackling energy.

(Y/N)’s breath hitched. “Those are not Covenant.” Whatever they were, they moved with unnerving grace—their machine parts moving smoothly, even if they weren’t connecting with anything.

Chief leveled his rifle. But before he could shoot, Cortana screamed:

“How did—Quick! Into the portal. Chief, GO!” Cortana’s voice snapped from the console. The hologram vanished as her program jumped back to the chip that Chief pulled out of the console and into his armor.

A disc of incandescent white flared open in midair near the console, distorting the view beyond it. (Y/N)’s stomach lurched; every instinct screamed that doors should have hinges, not horizons.

Chief braced, grabbed her wrist. “Move.”

They sprinted. The knight-like machines shifted, tracking with smooth, predatory precision. Before they could even attack, they were already jumping at the portal...well more like Chief jumping and (Y/N) being dragged along in the air, legs kicking at nothing.

“Next vacation,” she gasped, adrenaline surging, “I pick the destination!”

Chief didn’t answer—twelve words was apparently his daily limit—but his grip tightened around her wrist, pulling her hard toward the roiling light.

They plunged through. White swallowed everything: the bridge, the pillars, the metal phantoms, the echoing hum of Requiem’s heart. For one dizzy instant (Y/N) felt weightless, lost between moments.

Then the world slammed back—new ground, new air and the nightmare they’d left behind dissolved, at least for now.

But the voice lingered, faint and amused, at the edge of her mind:

Flesh… bone…pathetic.

[askagamedev]

From past responses you clearly have some experience with the console cert process. I was wondering: why do so few games offer cross platform play? Does the cert process become disproportionately more difficult when communicating to other systems becomes involved? Or is it just a difficult feature from a purely engineering pov? Thank you!

There are two major groups of hurdles to crossplay - technical and political. Both of these issues were primarily ironed out by Epic in late 2018, and then they opened up the doors for everybody else by releasing their set of crossplay tools and tech to the public for free.

On the technical side, the various walled garden networks - PSN, XBL, Nintendo Online - each have their own set of protocols, ports, technology, etc. They do not talk to each other or transfer information in the same way. There's a good reason for this - they weren't built by the same people or using the same technology, so their internal workings are all different. In order to solve this, the any third party developer needs to build a system that can take data from any supported service and translate it in real time so all players on other platforms understand what's happening in the game. This requires a fairly hefty engineering effort.

On the political side, console platform networks are walled gardens that generate a lot of revenue for the platforms. Every sale within that walled garden typically earns the platform owner a 30% cut. This is why they can afford to sell game consoles at a loss, they hope to make it back from their users. Allowing other players on other platforms to play with their users takes away from their exclusivity. This attitude permeates their certification rules, which are then enforced on all third party developers. Even now that crossplay is allowed, there are a lot of rules in place about things like communication between platforms (e.g. Rocket League was not allowed to let Playstation players communicate with PC players because of potential content ratings).

In 2018, Epic pushed to allow crossplay for their lifestyle game juggernaut Fortnite. Microsoft had already been dabbling in that arena by allowing Xbox to play with PC players (since most players ran on Windows anyway, so they were both Microsoft platforms), but Sony refused. Epic smoothed this over by paying Sony a significant sum of money to 'make up for lost revenue' and developing their own tools and technology to handle the technical issues of allowing crossplay. Sony begrudgingly agreed, so Fortnite went crossplay. Then, in typical fashion, Epic released their entire suite of crossplay tools to the public for free. Games like Dauntless and Rocket League soon followed to crossplay, and by 2019 Sony had changed their stance to accept crossplay.

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[thatskynews]

Hey crew, just wanted to give a little context on a bug before reset; we are well aware that the Traveling Spirit isn't showing up in Aviary--no, Timid Bookworm isn't agoraphobic (although that would be pretty on-brand. ) The simple truth is that there is a LOT going on in Aviary; we are pushing the bounds of how many spirits we can have 'loaded into memory' in a single area, and ironically that led to the Traveling Spirit being "pushed out of the queue," so to speak. As Sky continues to evolve as a very-cross-platform game, we have been leaning more and more on fancy "recycling systems" which allow us to juggle game resources in busy areas. This lets our designers pour lots of content in a single area while still allowing the game to perform well on lower-end hardware. Unfortunately we managed to hit a maximum memory limit for spirits in Aviary juuust as we pushed the last patch, and the poor Traveling Spirit was sacrificed by the game engine to ensure the game didn't crash. 🔥We fixed the spirit prioritization issue as soon as we found the bug, but it was a smidge too late for the patch cutoff time. 😔

We thank you for your sacrifice, Timid Bookworm 🙏 Don't worry, you can still find the Traveling Spirit safe and sound in Home, where the game engine hasn't hit the same limit. You can find the meditation circle to Home near Aviary's entrance. ✌

(Also I find it funny that we have a bug with Timid Bookworm… wait, are worms 'bugs'? I'm an engineer, not an entomologist… 😌 help)

[warframestuff]

PSA: Hotfixing Paused Until Techrot Encore

Hey Tenno!

Hotfixing will be paused while we buckle down for Techrot Encore this coming March!

One important note: during this downtime, the iOS team may continue to Hotfix to tackle performance improvements exclusive to the Mobile platform!

With that, Devstream 185 is coming in hot on February 28th at 2 p.m. ET!

Meet the 60th Warframe, Temple, alongside four other Protoframes.

Revealing a familiar game mode with a musical twist!

Further details about Ash Touchups, Pseudo-Exalted Reworks, and more.

Plus, an Aura Forma for watching!

Like always, our next Cert Update includes further code fixes. Code describes changes made directly to the engine, which requires Certification from each Console platform to pass its checks, such as ensuring an Update doesn’t crash the machine itself. 

We also need to ensure Cross Platform Play parity so all Tenno can continue to play together! 

You can find further details on the “Code” and “Cert” processes here!  

However, with all said and done, here are some of the resolved issues from our ‘Known Issues’ list you can expect to see fixed*:

Venari does not spawn if you load into 1999 missions via the Pom-2

Crashes on consoles related to the Mandonel alt-fire if used by Clients

Loss of function when destroying a Scaldra TI-92 with its own turret (Client only)

Incarnon Mode is inaccessible to Clients after a Host Migration in the Circuit

Missing VFX on Void Mirrors (ex: seen in Isolation Vaults in Deimos)

Burst-firing weapons like the Hind or Sybaris ignore the user option "Fire manual-trigger weapons continuously," causing them to fire burst after burst automatically

Aiming-down-sight Mods do not grant benefits to Yareli while on Merulina

Using VOIP in Faceoff missions on Xbox can cause crashing 

Weapons that have alt-fires that empty entire magazines (ex: Cyanex, Kuva Kraken, etc.) will retain one bullet left in the chamber

* The other issues on the Known Issues list are still a priority for us, but aren’t in a state where we can confirm them as “fixed”. It is also possible that the issues listed above will not be as fixed as we hoped after more rigorous testing —  fingers crossed!

Our communication channels remain open, of course! We’re still collecting feedback, chasing bugs and continuing our usual day-to-day operations! But, if you’re looking for some places you’ll still see us, find us at:

Prime Time, Warframe International and Devshorts!

Devstream 185 is primed for February 28th!

Operation: Belly of the Beast and Star Days are live until March 3rd at 2 p.m. ET and March 5th at 11 a.m. ET, respectively!

As always, we’re grateful for your patience, Tenno. We’re locking in as we get Techrot Encore into your hands (with even more fixes, of course)!

[leggerefiore]

how do the pokeMen play animal crossing? what are their islands like? Who are their favorite NPCs/villagers? How does Cyrus feel about Cyrus??

Ingo spends three years making the perfect town of harmony and joy and using as many train-themed items as he can. His home is a few rooms based around his job. One is a train car from the subway, another is his office, the nap room, a platform. The last two he makes are a room of train items and his bedroom. His unique-ness for decorating is sure to impress. He takes his job as resident representative seriously and makes a proper 5-Star island that gets rave reviews somewhere online. There is a heated debate if this was actually made by Ingo or some intense fan. He never bothers getting in on it.

Emmet lacks the patience for such a game but plays with Ingo because he asks. He lives in Ingo's town and basically does nothing. Though, he does appreciate his brother's love for his virtual town.

Both Emmet and Ingo love Porter. They are both saddened by the lack of trains in New Horizons. They are enchanted by his brother, who is a train engineer, too. They both decide they would be monkeys in the Animal Crossing world because train connections. They also like Timmy and Tommy for the obvious reasons. Champ is their favourite villager.

Cyrus is not big into it. There is little of interest in for him, so he would only play if forced by someone around him. (For example, his partner.) He intends to somehow make his perfect world in the game. He fails. He will deny it when asked, but he quite enjoys Celeste. Space man truly loves space. He likes the robot villagers in concept. Cyrus is horrified by whom he shares a name with. Discussed more here.

Somehow, some way, Archie gets really into Animal Crossing. He is seen enjoying the tropical aesthetics of the game and laughing as he fishes. His dedication is sweet, but the town has no theme outside of making Lilycove and filling it with various fish. His home is themed with the ocean, of course. A room for being a beach, all the mermaid furniture somehow, and a collection of his favourite fish. He only wishes there was more water in the game. His favourite NPC is Kapp'n, naturally. He loves the boat rides and his little songs. Marina is his favourite villager, strangely.

Nanu secretly adores the game and probably plays it under the guise of helping Acerola with her town. Peaceful island life is nicer virtually... No real human interaction, and he gets to laze around peacefully. He is working on recreating Ula'Ula. Most of his villagers are cats, but there is one conspicuous bull villager. Rodeo. If you ask him, he'll just shrug and say he couldn't get him to move out to get another cat. The truth? Tapu Bulu. A shock it may be, but he likes Copper more than Booker. He says that he reminds him of someone. His favourite villager is Punchy for mysterious unknown reasons.

Maxie gets into Animal Crossing solely to spite Archie and make a better town than him. Which he succeeds at! His town is five-stars, unlike that water-obsessed fool's three-star island! He has a large orchard that he cares for dutifully and a farm that makes him steady income! His home is also modern and chic and fully paid off. He makes Archie visit his town and show off to him. Archie is unmoved. Maxie likes Tom Nook. Why? Real estate. He likes Elmer as a villager because his colours make him think of Camerupt.

N deeply enjoys Animal Crossing after he is introduced to it and works tirelessly to make a happy island. His ideals for the real world blossom in living happily among pokemon/animals. He also loves making various places in real life on his island. The Nimbasa Amusement Park is most notable. He will mumble to himself about the formulas involved and seen in a daze while playing. His favourite NPC is Harvey. He doesn't have a favourite villager – He loves them all.

Lear will play Animal Crossing at the behest of others. He will they grow frustrated they do not view him as their king, and he has to do all the hard work. He does not play for long. His favourite NPC was Isabelle since she seems so nice and polite. He has no favourite villager. None of them bowed to him.

[homestuckreplay]

💙 John Egbert's Glorious Return! 💙

(page 843-847)

JOHN IS BACK!! HI JOHN I MISSED YOU <3

He is not doing so hot though. On top of making the dangerous, precarious decision to fight with an impressively bouncy weapon on a small platform above a bottomless pit, he’s clearly outmatched by these two giant ogres. The infinite loop of this animation is really well done, it genuinely feels like these two teams could stay in this stalemate for a while – until Rose gets back online and turns the tide, perhaps. And I laugh every time the grainy ‘Sassacre’ gets stamped over the otherwise very clean art style.

I’m really looking forward to Rose entering the Medium, so we can find out what’s specific to John’s game and what’s general to Sburb. For example, is it part of the game that a sprite will try to protect their assigned player? Or is it John’s nanna specifically (or the harlequin doll, I guess) who has that instinct? Do all sprites have the same powers (eye beams that destroy imps and heal players) or do the powers vary based on what’s prototyped?

I also want to know more about Jade’s predictions; it’s a fun narrative trick to have the reminder on her finger transition into another character, but has she literally seen a vision of this event in the same way that the Wayward Vagabond might watch this moment through a screen? (If so, is it possible she has these visions via her strange holographic computer?) Or does she have more of a vague understanding of things she shouldn’t, just ‘happening’ to be right as she does with the memory modus and the gadgets she’s created, a general sense of ‘John and his benevolent guide will have a challenging battle’?

I am DELIGHTED by the return of ‘Years in the future…’ followed by GameFAQs, and the fact that different characters have taken over these pages to mark a different act. In Act 2 we eventually learned that WV and Rose were in the same location; in Act 2 we already know that the Peregrine Mendicant and John are in the same place. I barely know the Peregrine Mendicant but I think they are so cool. They met a giant metal worm and got so angry when it ate one of their mailboxes (!) that they immediately reached for their sword, which incidentally is the first cool sword in Homestuck (not sorry, Dave). The cross on top of the sword looks like the cross usually found on the king in a chess set, so this must be a powerful sword from the dark kingdom, while PM is from the light. Could this be a clue to what happened in the battle of light and dark in John’s Sburb game?

Page 845 (incidentally one of my favorite pages in the comic so far) is the first time we’ve seen longform writing from John, and it’s a WHOLE new side to him. His character voice is a little different in this medium, but still recognizably John. And he is SO SO SMART, I apologize for everything I have ever said about John being bad at things and not sticking with them, because it turns out that ‘You like to program computers but you are NOT VERY GOOD AT IT’ (p.4) was just John’s low self worth and dismissal of his own skills, like here when he says ‘wow ok that pretty much looks like shit, but you get the idea’ about his cool ASCII art. Like, the John of page 843 is not in his element, he’s fighting two gigantic deadly foes when before today he’s never seen worse combat than being pied in the face, but the John of page 845 knows his shit, has reverse engineered some pretty complex mechanics from just a few punched cards, and is explaining it in terms easy to understand. And he’s making all these really clever leaps and he does brag about his ‘leet haxxor cred’ and he’s clearly excited about what he’s writing about, but I still feel like he doesn’t have much confidence, as he ends by deferring to Jade’s skills. I love how these two John pages are juxtaposed, and I cannot describe the pride I feel in seeing John really shine at something.

Goth queen Rose Lalonde has gone from cat mausoleum to vast, ominous green science lab full of uranium and/or slime, and I’m happy for pages like 840 and 847 that are primarily atmospheric, something I don’t think we’ve seen much of before. The lab’s logo reads ‘SN’, not the cool S, but one with an atom symbol in the upper curve and a spirograph in the lower – both familiar symbols, as both appear on Jade’s shirt (p.794), the atom appears on some of her inventions such as the wardrobifier (p.793), and the spirograph has appeared regularly as a symbol of Skaia. Could SN be SkaiaNet, developers of Sburb, first mentioned on page 114? If so, could Rose’s mom have something to do with the development of Sburb, potentially explaining why Mom knew to build a tunnel from the mausoleum to the lab if she’s had some visions similar to Jade’s. I think that would suck for Rose, as she’s worked hard to be independent from her mom and have her own interests, and to find out that her mom has been controlling her life in a pretty major way the entire time would probably be really hard to come to terms with.

I have been having loads of fun with this punch card calculator; more great work from Gankra, who has programmed several of the interactive pages including p.253. I would punch so many cards if I had a designix.

> John: Take another look at that rocket pack.