#I also don’t have the best attention span for gaming in general nowadays in my current age💀

[pinkvampiress]

Rambling again

It’s that time where isolation and paranoia bothers me again and I end up repeating myself to the void:

I get nervous interacting with game castlevania fans cause while I know and understand a lot aren’t a fan of the Netflix version, I kinda don’t wanna deal with being talked down on for liking it🥲

[thirteen-jades]

Get to know the blogger:

1. FIRST NAME: I guess I’ve not really kept this very secret, so might as well put it out there officially again. Jade.

2. STRANGE FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: What isn’t strange about me, honestly? If I had to pick, I get occasional taste, smell, and auditory hallucinations. The first two especially tend to be pretty pleasant, often things like cookies or other sweets.

3. TOP THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE ON A PERSON: Honestly I think the only people that I really register as being attractive are those I’m romantically interested in already? If I had to list some things, I think for women I’d say medium-sized breasts, red/brown/unusual hair colors, and… I’m not sure about a third thing, other than “not things I find unattractive”. As for men, mostly it’s non-physical things afaict, though height/strength may play into it some? Being princess carried is 10/10 super hot.

4. A FOOD YOU COULD EAT FOREVER AND NOT GET BORED OF: I tend not to get bored of the things I eat, I don’t think? I have a pretty limited rotation of foods that I step through and it doesn’t bother me much. Orange chicken is nice.

5. A FOOD YOU HATE: I don’t typically think of myself as hating foods or being a picky eater but in retrospect I don’t like: hot/spicy things (red pepper on pizza is about my limit, though I do often put it on mine), anything even remotely bitter, or things with a texture like raw seafood. That crab stuff in sushi seems to be fine but sashimi is super uncomfortable and I don’t like any non-fish seafood that I can think of.

6. GUILTY PLEASURE: It’s hard to remember the last time I really felt guilty about much of anything; mostly I don’t do things that make me feel bad. I like chocolate with caramel, I guess? Don’t feel guilty about it though.

7. WHAT DO YOU SLEEP IN: Lately it’s been sweatpants. Used to sleep naked and might go back sometime.

8. SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS OR FLINGS: Serious relationships are great. I’ve had pretty limited experience with them and seem to struggle to do romantic love in general but would very much like to have a loyal (if perhaps polyamorous; that doesn’t seem to bother me so much) partner that I love dearly. I might not mind having more than one partner myself but I’m not really gonna worry about #2 until I find #1 at this point.

9. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN THE PAST AND CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU AND WHAT WOULD IT BE: Changing the past is spooky and dangerous. Do Not Want.

10. ARE YOU AN AFFECTIONATE PERSON: I don’t think so. I can be affectionate towards certain friends, and would very much like to have a better chance to be more affectionate, but overall I tend to be fairly detached from others.

11. A MOVIE YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN: Rewatching/re-consuming things is painful and uninteresting for the most part. I used to reread books and stuff when I had limited access to things but nowadays I don’t see why I’d do it and hate watching movies I’ve seen before.

12. FAVORITE BOOK: I don’t really have the attention span to read books anymore unfortunately. Probably either a textbook of some kind or some TTRPG book. Or the thing I’m writing, if that can really be called a book. Which it probably can, actually?

13. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP ANY ANIMAL AS A PET, WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE: Fantasy animals included? That’s hard and would need some aggressive research to find which creature is best suited to transform me into a monstergirl. IRL animals only? Fox, cat, or snake probably. Am not really well-suited to caring for a pet now, so it’ll have to happen later in my life. But I’m in no rush anyway.

14. TOP FIVE FICTIONAL SHIPS [IF YOU ARE AN RP BLOG, YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN SHIPS AS WELL]: This one’s hard. I am not very interested in or focused on romance in general. I daydream about my own OCs a lot, but don’t really do shipping so much.

15. PIE OR CAKE: I love me some French silk pie.

16. FAVORITE SCENT: Wish I could smell well enough to have an answer for this one.

17. CELEBRITY CRUSH: I don’t care about or even know any celebrities to crush on, nor do I do crushes or romance in general afaict. So, none.

18. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU GO: I’d have to visit my friends, I think. If I weren’t confined to earth or this reality my options would increase a lot; I’d love to visit any of my settings or the Moon or something if I were properly equipped to survive in them.

19. INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT: Wildly introverted. Spent most of the last summer talking to zero people face-to-face and was pretty much fine with that. It’s not uncommon for me to go whole days without face-to-face socializing and be unbothered by it. With my online friends, while I do interact more often I often need to pull away a little to recharge and can’t do constant contact with people. It’s also hard for me to initiate contact with anyone.

 20. DO YOU SCARE EASILY: I don’t think so.

21. IPHONE OR ANDROID: Android.

22. DO YOU PLAY ANY VIDEO GAMES: Yep. Not super often nowadays, and it’s taken me like 2 months to get most of the way through Code Vein, but I do enjoy them. I play a bit of Star Wars Battlefront 2, Classic (2005) as well, and am actually a moderator for a Discord server for that game. It’s a good time.

23. DREAM JOB: Well, some kind of engineer, I’d hope. Seeing as that’s what I’m getting my PhD in. If I were restricted to things practical in this world I’d probably pick what I’m going to end up doing, which is working with semiconductors and the like. Or an astronaut. If we open this up to sci-fi or fantasy, there’s too many things I’d love to list.

24. WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A MILLION DOLLARS: Save it, mostly? Pay off student loans and make sure my friends are set for a good long time and save/invest the rest. I’d make sure to spend a little bit upgrading my computer and visiting my friends, as well.

25. FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU HATE: I sincerely can’t think of anyone or anything I hate, let alone a fictional character. Shinji Matou is an asshole I guess?

26. FANDOM THAT YOU WERE ONCE A PART OF BUT AREN’T ANY LONGER: It’s kinda depressing how many things I loved until I got distracted and forgot all about them, but I often enjoy rediscovering and coming back to them. Homestuck would be the best example of one I used to really love and genuinely can’t get into nowadays though. I liked it, but I think the magic is largely gone for me. Moment’s passed and all.

[frighthouseofalighthouse]

I'M GONNA DO IT TO EM' ALL ASKS THAT YOU REBLOG TONIGHT TILL 10 AM TOMORROW.... DO THEM!!!!

Hey, you had to do it to ‘em! Here they are starting with the most recent.

“Weird asks that say a lot”

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

Coffee mugs because you can use them for everything. Teacups are too small for a proper cuppa.

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

Chocolate bars always.

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Bubblegum, which I miss so much. I haven’t had it in over 2 years bc of my braces

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

I didn’t go to public school but all the adults who dealt with me said I was sociable and tried to get everyone to do the group projects but no one listened so I ended up sitting alone reading and quietly doing the project.

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

Glass BOTTLES make it taste superior.

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

Pastel boho preppy goth best describes my style.

7. earbuds or headphones?

Earbuds, but only rubber tipped ones. The plastic ones never fit in my ears. Also headphones never cover my whole ear right. :/

8. movies or tv shows?

TV shows keep my attention span better.

9. favorite smell in the summer?

Brewing thunderstorms.

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

None. But trampoline if I had to pick.

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

Scrambled eggs, peanut butter toast, and some kind of fruit.

12. name of your favorite playlist?

My main one is Things You Love. My one for writing is Queen And Country, and my other two favorites are Summer Songs and A Queen Knows How To Fight A War.

13. lanyard or key ring?

Key ring, lanyards get in the way.

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Swedish Fish or Sour Patch Kids.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

OH MAN. To Kill A Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Fahrenheit 451, The Grapes Of Wrath, and The Handmaid’s Tale were definitely my top 5 in English class.

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

Curled up sideways in an armchair with my legs slung over the arm. Sitting normally sucks.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

Either pair of my black boots, or my pink floral Skechers that I wear to work.

18. ideal weather?

60 degrees, cloudy, windy, with a chance of rain.

19. sleeping position?

On my right side, arms around a fluffy pillow, one leg out straight and the other drawn up with my knee to my chest.

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

Laptop. I’m trying to exercise my hand and wrist so I don’t tire as quick of notebook writing, though.

21. obsession from childhood?

History, Nancy Drew books, Harry Potter, and ghost stories.

22. role model?

The person I am but don’t think I am.

23. strange habits?

Pulling my shirt collar up over my nose and mouth/putting it in my mouth and chewing on it.

24. favorite crystal?

Amethyst, my birthstone! Close second is blue goldstone. (Have you ever seen it? It looks like the universe. I have a worrystone made of blue goldstone and it’s one of my prized possessions.)

25. first song you remember hearing?

Something from church probably. Outside of church probably one of these: If I Had A Hammer // Peter, Paul and Mary, Puff The Magic Dragon // Peter, Paul and Mary, Scarborough Fair // Simon & Garfunkel, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald // Gordon Lightfoot.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

Sit in the shade.

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

Drink tea, read, and play either Pokemon or Nancy Drew and the Clue Benders Society on my 3DS.

28. five songs to describe you?

The Pines // Roses & Revolutions, I Am Here // Pink, Walk Me Home // Pink, Call Home // Heathers (not the musical), Traveler’s Song // Aviators

29. best way to bond with you?

Talk to me about history, crime, musicals, books, or tv shows

30. places that you find sacred?

Natural swamps. Libraries. Old, overgrown gardens. Anywhere historic. Pine forests at dusk. Anywhere under a clear night sky.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

A plaid shirt, black leggings, and black boots with dark neutral lipstick and a black choker.

32. top five favorite vines?

Fre she vocado, BENTLEY NOOOOO, uhhh I sure hope it does, the one of Lin Manuel-Miranda trying to brainstorm, and this bitch empty YEEt

33. most used phrase in your phone?

Idk how to find this out

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

Idk if this is just a local thing here but WOW ITS NATURESTONE

35. average time you fall asleep?

12-1 nowadays.

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

I can haz cheezburger

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

Depends. Suitcase for things like my laptop that are better protected than in a duffel bag, but duffel bag otherwise because they’re easier to carry.

38. lemonade or tea?

TEAAAAA

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

Both please

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

My house? We had a safe word when we did math. It was “quokka.” If we got overwhelmed we’d say it and then stop and look at pictures of quokkas.

41. last person you texted?

My friend and coworker.

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

Jacket pockets.

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

Cardigan or hoodie

44. favorite scent for soap?

Lavender

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

Fantasy. It takes me a bit to get into fantasy books usually, but sci-fi is hard to follow and superhero is mostly predictable.

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

Fuzzy pants and a t shirt

47. favorite type of cheese?

Muenster, parmesan, or goat cheese

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

Raspberry

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

“I have no country to fight for. My country is the earth, and I am a citizen of this world.” - Eugene V. Debs

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

A weird local political ad a couple years back.

51. current stresses?

My recent breakup, an overnight shift I work on Wednesday night, and trying to find time to go out to a corn maze with my friend.

52. favorite font?

Baskerville or Georgia.

53. what is the current state of your hands?

Covered in small cuts and scrapes from work, nails picked short, black nail polish mostly peeled off.

54. what did you learn from your first job?

babysitting job: Kids suck never have more than one. Retail job: being on your fee it hardddd

55. favorite fairy tale?

Beauty and the Beast or Rapunzel

56. favorite tradition?

Looking at Halloween decorations

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

Cutting, being manipulated by my dad, and letting other people make me believe I wasn’t good enough (still working on that one)

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

Writing, puzzle-solving, singing, and calligraphy

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

“Oh shit waddup”

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

One of those preppy gothic private school animes with a dark secret lurking around the corner

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

Book: “Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance. You have to work at it.” - The Handmaid’s Tale. Movie: “It’s not about deserve. It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love.” - Wonder Woman. TV Show: “I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself.” - Doctor Who.

62. seven characters you relate to?

Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Remus Lupin, Richard Gansey III, Blue Sargent, Dean Winchester, Charlie Bradbury.

63. five songs that would play in your club?

Same five that I said describe me.

64. favorite website from your childhood?

Webkinz and the old American Girl site circa 2009.

65. any permanent scars?

One down my chest from heart surgery as a baby, lots from self harm on my arms/legs, some on my left knee from falling as a kid, and one on the back of my right heel from being pecked by a goose at the fair when I was 11.

66. favorite flower(s)?

Sunflowers, roses, and dahlias.

67. good luck charms?

Myself.

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

Ranch anything.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

Jellyfish have no brains and no heart.

70. left or right handed?

I’m third generation left handed!

71. least favorite pattern?

Vertical stripes.

72. worst subject?

Math.

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

Wendy’s fries and chocolate frosty.

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

7. Usually I just ignore it because I have a “high pain tolerance” (which means I like to put myself through minor pains because I think I deserve it)

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

Age 5. I was trying to blow up an inflatable ball and it came out.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

ALL POTATOES EXCEPT POTATO SALAD

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

Violets.

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

Neither, both suck equally.

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

Never had a school id so I guess the license

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

Earth tones for me

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

...They are literally the same thing

82. pc or console?

PC

83. writing or drawing?

Writing. I absolutely cannot draw.

84. podcasts or talk radio?

Podcasts, talk radio is so obnoxious.

84. barbie or polly pocket?

Barbie. The clothes are easier to take on and off. I used to accidentally rip polly pocket clothes all the time.

85. fairy tales or mythology?

Mythology. I like it because it explains things, it’s creation stories, its origins. Fairy tales are just fantasies or cautionary tales.

86. cookies or cupcakes?

Cookies.

87. your greatest fear?

Rejection, drowning, and clowns.

88. your greatest wish?

To be a semi-successful author and historian.

89. who would you put before everyone else?

My mom.

90. luckiest mistake?

Not succeeding in killing myself!

91. boxes or bags?

Bags.

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

Dim lamps if they have yellow bulbs. I hate white lights. And also fairy lights yes please.

93. nicknames?

Ellie, Ell, Little Lion, Lioness.

94. favorite season?

FALLLLL

95. favorite app on your phone?

Tumblr, Spotify, or Instagram.

96. desktop background?

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

6.

98. favorite historical era?

Revolutionary War-era America or late Victorian England.

THIS GOT REALLY LONG AND I DONT WANNA HIT THE TEXT BLOCK LIMIT SO IMMA DO ALL THE HALLOWEEN ONES SEPARATELY, MAYBE IN THE MORNING.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

LF RP — JANOS JEN RENATA

The third of four sons, Janos has high expectations pushed onto him from a young age. His family name often preceding him (his two older brothers being officers in the military and his father being a high-ranking engineer), it might take a moment to realize that Janos himself is the family’s black sheep. Having failed to even get into the Magitek Academy despite having a passion for working with machines and magitek, Janos instead became an Architectus in the military in order to serve his country and make his family proud.

Unfortunately, bad luck and poor judgement led to trouble following in his wake. Where his siblings are marked as loyal and accomplished, Janos himself is marked as negligent at best, and in six years of service, he failed to earn a single promotion or any recognition for his work whatsoever. He was continually reassigned, never working for too long on any one project and occasionally being moved to different posts altogether, and eventually was relegated to simple maintenance work. Now, as a result of circumstances unknown even to him, he’s found himself in Eorzea: lost, homeless, and scared—but thankfully, not alone.

IN CHARACTER

Profession(s): Eorzean Cover—While Janos tries not to draw too much attention to himself, he often takes odd jobs to make ends meet and help pull his weight in his small circle of companions. Garlean Architectus—He’s loyal to the Empire, still uses his (last known) title in the company of other Garleans, and still believes himself to be in the Empire’s good graces even though “getting lost after being reassigned again” sounds an awful lot like “desertion.” His time in the military was spent primarily in central Illsabard doing maintenance work on weaponry and warmachina, though he didn’t really enjoy the work he was assigned.

Alignment: Chaotic Dumbass. Difficult to tell, but loyal to the Garlean Empire... For now. He had somewhat of a rebellious streak even back home.

Professional Talents: Magitek—Once an Architectus in the Garlean military, Janos learned his way around both conventional machinery and more advanced magitek devices often employed by the Empire. Nowadays, he uses his knowledge primarily to tinker, though much to his dismay he’s only really good at creating weapons... And, well, the quality of those weapons is often limited by the quality of parts he has access to.

Current Residence: Vagrant. He maintains an inn room at The Hourglass, but sometimes he has to move when he doesn’t make enough money to cover the next few days of inn fees.

Likely Haunts: Eorzea at Large—As a vagrant, he can get just about anywhere, provided he has the coin to get there. Unfortunately, as a Pureblood Garlean, he can’t use any magic including the teleportation magicks that make use of the aethernet. Ul’dah—He hangs out around Ul’dah’s markets often, and around Pearl Lane, enjoying the anonymity that blending into crowds there provides.

Hobbies: Tinkering—Janos loves to tinker, and dreams of having a workshop of his own one day back home in Garlemald. But, he’d take Eorzea too, since he’s stranded here for the foreseeable future... Theater—Over the years, Janos has read up on both Garlean and foreign drama, and came to enjoy it quite a bit. While he professes that he would never be able to get up on stage, he has quite a bit of respect for those who can.

MORE INFORMATION: Full Bio WIP | Tag

OUT OF CHARACTER

Hi there! I’m Crow and I use they/them pronouns! I’m generally most active during NA Evenings and Late Nights. I play on Balmung, but I’m open to RP connections from across the Crystal datacenter.

You can find detailed information about my hopes and expectations for RP on my dossier, here. The quick and dirty version:

OOC Communication > All

I am a med/heavy lore-strict RPer. I prefer medium-to-low power levels in RP and character- and plot-driven scenes. I won’t RP with any player under the age of 18 but as long as you’re not making it weird/creepy, I don’t have a problem with underage characters within reason.

I run an FC and an LS, so I can be pretty busy OOC because I have to run a lot of stuff related to that.

I do not really RP on Discord because my attention span is pretty crummy, but I have always been smitten with Tumblr RP as a longform format, so if in-game RP is impossible for some reason, I’m happy to write starters.

In terms of things I’m looking for:

Casual acquaintances and friends! But preferably: long-term plot-focused RP connections! Slice-of-life ain’t really my jam.

Business contacts! Janos is an engineer and a habitual tinkerer and does odd jobs to make ends meet. Maybe he could end up doing something for you?

Pre-established connections based on his background as a Pureblood Garlean born and raised in the capital and as an Architectus in the military (though his situation at the moment is obviously a little complicated).

Recommendations for events to attend? (And company to drag me along since I hate flying solo.)

Discord and Linkshell communities!

DETAILED RP HOOKS UNDER THE CUT!

Thanks for reading! If you’re interested in playing with me then please feel free to send me a message or make a note of it in the tags or comments on this post. My Discord is emet-selch wears prada#5086! If I’m slow please bear with me; I have a habit of getting absolutely swamped with stuff at more or less complete random, and my energy levels vary wildly from day to day and week to week.

tagging for visibility: @balmungrp @mooglemeet @ffxiv-crystal-rp @crystalxivrp @ffxiv-balmung-rp

RP HOOKS

1. Magiteknical Difficulties

Janos is a (former?) Architectus for the Garlean military. While he was generally relegated to maintenance work (and hated every moment of it), he loves working with machines even to this day and would probably be able to fix anything set in front of him given enough time to figure it out.

Given enough time and the right parts, he might also be able to build something for you! Unfortunately, most of his contraptions are dangerous even if they work, with Janos used to cutting corners to make something fast, not necessarily make it good. 

The gunblade he carries is one of his own creations, in fact; dubbed “Bad News,” Janos used misappropriated parts to put it together before he wound up in Eorzea, and has only continued to work on it to this day. It’s held together with proverbial duct tape and it’s a wonder that it works at all, especially because once he got to Eorzea he had to modify its design to make it look less like Imperial models, which involved swapping out some of the better parts he’d slipped under his coat with some shoddier ones he found on Eorzean markets.

2. Eorzeabound

Stranded in Eorzea for reasons unknown to him, Janos has taken advantage of the chance to slow down. After a period of readjustment, he’s settled in to a relatively slow-paced life in Eorzea, and seems keen on treating his predicament like a vacation—although he would like to return to Garlemald one day, he’s enchanted by the local cultures and customs and has taken the chance to reflect on the views that were instilled in him growing up on the teat of Imperial propaganda. 

Janos is curious about Eorzean customs that are entirely foreign to him, such as many of their holidays and their religion. While he remains a staunch atheist (and even lacks belief in any sort of afterlife), he thinks it’s interesting to see how religion has influenced Eorzeans’ day-to-day lives and certain aspects of the different belief systems and cultures of the city-states. 

3. Black Sheep of the Renatas

The Renata family is known for an excellent track record of service to Garlemald in both the military and civil sectors... Except for Janos. Possessed of a rebellious streak that only got worse and more visible after he failed to get into the notorious Magitek Academy, Janos’s track record of service leaves a bit to be desired. With a work track-record that was notably subpar and marked by repeated failures, Janos is regarded as a stain on the reputation of a family that since the establishment of the Empire had been rising through the Garlean social strata.

4. Keeping Up With the Jens

Janos spent six years serving as an Architectus in the Garlean military, though his career was going nowhere fast (something which even at the time he expressed frequent distress over). His track record was marred with failures and he ended up as somewhat of a social outcast, having few friends and mostly being known for being the Architectus who was most frequently being berated by his superiors. It took a substantial toll on his mental health and by the end of his time with the military, he did little but sleep, eat, and work.

Much of the latter days of his service are hazy or non-existent in his memory, a fact which he admits that he “tries not to let bother him too much,” as it’s a bridge he figures he’ll cross when he gets to it. Those who served with him would likely know of some incidents he was involved in, such as an incident wherein several of the magitek bits he’d recently done maintenance on went haywire. After being pressed on it, he admitted that it had been intentional. He also passed out on the job a few times and once locked himself in a broom closet for the duration of his break.

[rosecorcoranwrites]

Video Games as Textual, Audiovisual, Spatial Storytelling

Video games are worth your while and are a unique form of storytelling. Games combine the best aspects of books, movies, and comics, while offering one other element, which we’ll get to later. First, let’s talk about games’ use of textual, audiovisual, and spatial storytelling.

Text and Subtext

Like a book, many games use text to tell their story. Older games rarely had voice acting, instead having each character’s words written or typed out on the screen. Games that now have voice acting still usually reserve it for cutscenes and use text for the majority of encounters in the game. This is somewhat equivalent to a comic’s use of speech balloons.

Some games, however, use text in a way unique from comics or books, and that is by using it in the descriptions of creatures and items. Okami is but one example of this; each time you fight an enemy, a description of it is added to your bestiary. These descriptions reveal new information that the player wouldn’t know simply from fighting each creature: that’s not just a flying fish, but the soul of a drowned woman; that electric mirror was struck by lightning, became a tsukumogami, and holds some of the theatrical feelings of it’s former owner; that scarecrow monster is the physical embodiment of loneliness felt in wintery lands. Although these descriptions don’t affect the main storyline, they add to the player's understanding of the world of the game. Similar encyclopedic items are found in other games, such as Pokemon’s Pokédex or Breath of the Wild's Sheikah Slate camera.

Certain games rely more heavily, if not entirely, on such descriptions to tell their story. Dark Souls is a hands-off game that gives players only the barest minimum information: in order to light the First Flame and stop everyone from going undead, ring two bells, fight four guys, get their souls and dump them into the Flame. That’s it. Not a lot to go on, and if that were it, I can’t see Darks Souls ever having become as popular as it is (especially considering how punishingly difficult it is). But beneath the surface lies a trail of breadcrumbs to follow; in the descriptions of each article of clothing, piece of armor, or weapon lie an intricate story and world building. If the player takes the time to pay attention to what is said, what items look like, and how they are described and then connects the dots, they are rewarded with a totally fleshed out story. Before I watched my brother play Dark Souls (It’s way too hard for me to play myself), I thought I hated dark fantasy, but Dark Souls sold me on it, and it did that with its subtle yet complex storytelling technique.

Art Style and Sound Effects

Games utilize visuals and sound in a way similar to movies, in that they present their story with specific camera angles and blocking (in cutscenes, at least) and use recurring theme music and sound effects. Games do, however, tend to be more stylized than movies. In terms of visuals, this was originally due to technological limitations; that is, graphics had to be simple because arcade machines and game cartridges didn’t have the capacity to handle more complicated data. Nowadays, the visual style of a game is a deliberate choice on the part of the developers.

As an aside, more realistic or better graphics do not necessarily equate to a better art style, in that “real” is not actually a style. There’s nothing wrong with games that choose realism, but I personally prefer those that present something more intentional: the painted scroll look of Okami, whose story is based on folklore; the lanky griminess of Dark Souls, which has themes of death and a world passing away; or the neon, middle-school-skater aesthetic of Splatoon, a paint-ball/skatepark simulator. Choosing a particular style and color scheme for a game can affect the way the player feels about it. Should they be scared, or amped up? Should it seem serious, or goofy and silly? Should the game feel artificial or realistic? Maybe it should be even more real than real, as in the detailed sci-fi sets of Halo and Destiny? These are things that good game developers ask and answer in the form of visual storytelling.

As far as the use of sound, the most stylized aspect of it is non-diegetic sound effects and the use of theme music. For non-diegetic sounds, I mean sounds that are meant to alert the player to something, but that are not part of the world of the game: the sound in the Metal Gear games that happens when someone notices Snake sneaking around, the beeping in Zelda games, and so on. Though such sounds function as alerts to the players, but I wouldn’t necessarily call them part of storytelling.

Music, on the other hand, absolutely serves the story. Games use recurring musical themes for specific characters  and situations. Ace Attorney, for example, uses the “Turnabout Sisters” theme for Mia and Maya, while other themes specify which phase of a trial you're in: cross-examination, a dangerous situation or new revelation, or the final confrontation with the guilty party. Many game series have music that span all games such as the Halo Theme, The Legend of Zelda Theme, and Zelda’s Lullaby. When these play, not only does the player get a sense of the import of whatever’s happening in that particular scene, but also feels connected to something larger, something that spans decades (in the real world) or even centuries (in the story setting). Music like this creates cohesion and immersion, and is a huge part of the emotional impact of games.

Two- and Three-Dimensional Space

While comics use two-dimensional space, in the form of panels and pages, games can use two- or use three-dimensional space. Side-scrollers (those games that feature the characters in profile, moving more or less left and right), top-down games (where the players views all action as if they were seeing it from above) and other such games generally use space either to simply let the character more from one location to another (whether that is from one event to another, to different random encounters or battle scenes, or even just the beginning of the level to its end), or as a way to introduce puzzles.

While oftentimes games include puzzles to make the games more challenging, certain games incorporate them into the story. Ghost Trick’s gameplay consists of building Rube Goldberg machines in order to save people from being killed, but that's because the main character is a ghost who can only possess and manipulate objects. A three-dimensional version of this is Portal, where the premise of the game is that you find yourself in a rather shady laboratory that is running tests using a gun that can shoot portals, allowing you to teleport around the test chambers. The gameplay involves strategy and puzzle-solving skills, and the in-game setting literally involves the same thing (incidentally, while Portal would be a fun puzzle game on it’s own, the audio from GlaDos, the AI who runs the test, is what makes that game an unforgettable classic!). While comics require that the artist use space to tell their story, games like Ghost Trick and Portal require the player to utilize and interact with the space in order to become a part of the world and advance the plot.

Since we’re talking about three-dimensional games, which obviously include puzzles and getting from point A to B, I’ll mention that games have the addition of a sense of distance. That is, you might be able to see a volcano on the horizon, or know on your map where the next town lies, but you actually have to take the time to journey there. Thus, many a game includes a quest element. You, the player, take a journey and spend time in the space—the world—of the game. Not only do many games require you to complete a quest, many allow you to go off the beaten path, in the form of side quests, exploration, and choices.

But this post is getting long, and I have a lot to say regarding how that exploration and choice factors into what makes games truly unique. For now, I think I have shown that video games are worthwhile. Next time, dear readers—and gamers—I’ll share more thoughts on video games and why they are a totally unique form of storytelling.

[violethowler]

What the Kingdom Hearts Series Means to Me

Holding the physical copy of Kingdom Hearts III that I pre-ordered and paid extra to have delivered on release day is a surreal experience. It feels like a dream in all honesty. Kingdom Hearts III used to be a formless thing. A cryptid that fans hoped to catch a glimpse of but didn’t really believe existed. To put it into perspective, Kingdom Hearts II first released when I was in third grade, and I’m currently approaching my graduation from college. Six games have been released in the last decade and a half to expand on the series’ lore and set up the major pieces for the next “main” installment, but only now are we getting Kingdom Hearts III. This franchise has been with me through middle school, high school, and college. It’s a big freaking deal.

I had never been passionately into video games as a kid. My first game system was the Nintendo GameBoy Advance, and the only games I was interested in playing were movie tie-in games that adapted the plot of a specific movie. The Incredibles. The Polar Express. Ice Age: The Meltdown, Madagascar. The only other game I can remember that wasn’t an adaptation of an existing film was a weird 3D Pacman game, but I don’t remember ever playing it as fervently as I did those old movie games.

Even after receiving a PlayStation 2 for either my birthday or Christmas in 2006, the only games I would play that weren’t movie adaptations were the NickToons crossover games like Battle for Volcano Island or Attack of the Toybots. But I only played them because they featured my favorite TV character. I was never interested in the storyline. That would change one day in late-summer/early autumn 2007, when, after seeing an advertisement for it in my old Disney Adventures magazines, I rented a PlayStation title I’d never heard of called Kingdom Hearts II.  

In the beginning, I didn’t pay attention to the story. I just skipped through the cutscenes and focused exclusively on the gameplay. But as I got to the more difficult portions of the game, I started to watch the cutscenes and pay attention to the story. And the more I did, the more I fell in love with it. Once I had fully digested the story of Kingdom Hearts II, I wanted more. I went back and played the original Kingdom Hearts, then I bought Chain of Memories for my GBA. I was hooked. I started buying and reading the manga adaptations of the games. I bought a couple of collectible figurines. I. Was. Obsessed.

I spent much of my computer time in those days scouring the internet for every scrap of information I could find on the next games in the franchise. Kingdom Hearts III wasn’t in the cards yet, so I focused my attention on the three titles that I vaguely recall being collectively referred to at the time as “the handheld trilogy”: 358/2 Days, Birth by Sleep, and Coded. I searched with a fine-tooth comb on websites dedicated to gaming news in general and Kingdom Hearts specifically, hoping to find out more about these next three games.

In many ways, Kingdom Hearts helped me take my first tentative steps into the wider community of fandom. My search for news on the next games in the series unearthed funny fan-made comic strips about my favorite characters. Even though Kingdom Hearts III was still a fantasy by that point, I found people using Photoshop, or whatever image-editing software was popular around 2008 or so, to create ideas for what the cover art would look like. I found detailed fan art of potential new outfits for all the major characters. I found theories and ideas and the ever-raging bonfire of speculation that grows larger with each new game released. I found fan-made music videos and fanfiction to sate my hunger for more content between games. I wasn’t as involved in fandom to the extent that I am today, but my experience with Kingdom Hearts helped me dip my toes in the water, so to speak, as I started to engage more with my favorite media beyond simply consuming it once and then going back to watch/play it again when I needed something to do.

And what makes this day so much sweeter is how much effort Disney is clearly putting into promoting this game. Almost a decade ago, and the most advertising any Kingdom Hearts title got outside of dedicated gaming magazines or events was maybe a single tv commercial per game. The only way to know a new game was coming otherwise was if you were actively following the development of each title before they even locked in when it would come out. In the last six months of waiting for Kingdom Hearts III, there’s been a concert tour, multiple commercials and advertisements on both TV and social media, and even ads playing before the previews at movie theaters. After years of trying to share my love for this series, only for a handful of people to have ever heard of it, it’s a tremendous thrill to see the games I love finally getting mainstream recognition.

It’s because of this series that I even consider myself a gamer in the first place. Before Kingdom Hearts, I just plowed through every game I had, treating each level as just another puzzle or challenge to complete. But Kingdom Hearts II exposed me to the possibility of video games as a medium for storytelling, and it was through my engagement with the Kingdom Hearts storyline that I found myself seeking out other games with their own compelling stories. Final Fantasy, The World Ends with You, Horizon: Zero Dawn… These are some of the many games with stories and worlds that have enthralled me as someone who loves to both experience stories and create them. And without Kingdom Hearts, I would probably never been enough of a gamer to know or care that they existed.

When I was younger, I was only interested in games if they were available on the systems I had. But Kingdom Hearts wasn’t limited to only one console. In the early years of the franchise, the series was spread across the GameBoy Advance, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and smartphones. So, whenever my research uncovered that the next title would be on a console I didn’t own, I would go out of my way to get it, either by putting it on my holiday wish list, or by saving up the money for it myself. And usually, I would buy these platforms years in advance of the Kingdom Hearts game I’d got it for came out, so I would search for interesting games to play on it while I waited. And unlike before, now I was actively looking for things to play.

When it was just my GameBoy, PlayStation, and a handful of movie/TV show tie-ins, I didn’t go out of my way to look for new games. I relied on advertisements in my trusty Disney Adventures magazine to tell me what games that were out that might interest me. Nowadays, I annually watch live coverage of E3, the entertainment expo where game developers show off the status of their current projects or unveil their next main title. And I keep my eyes out for every title that looks entertaining from both a gameplay and story perspective, whether I see ads in a magainze, footage at E3, a trailer on YouTube, or fanart online.  

Before I realized that animation was what I wanted to do as a career, my first dream job was to be a game designer. And if your first guess as to why I wanted to pursue that career path isn’t Kingdom Hearts, then in the words of one of the franchise’s original villains, “You have come this far, and still, you understand nothing.” While I ultimately realized that animation was my true passion as an artist, it was Kingdom Hearts that set me on the idea of turning my art skills into a career. Without Kingdom Hearts, I might not have ended up where I am today. 

Most of the fandom knows that Kingdom Hearts III isn’t the end of the road for the franchise. Even aside from its immense popularity, series director Tetsuya Nomura has spoken about the fact that the series will continue beyond III, but that this represents the conclusion of the current story arc that has been going on since the original Kingdom Hearts game back in 2002. It’s fitting that this arc of the series is ending the same year that I graduate from college. This series has seen me through multiple chapters of my life. Middle school. High School. College. And in May, I’ll be a college graduate looking for a job. Each time I moved from one stage of life to the next, it always felt like the end. But it never is. But life goes on. The story will go on, but this chapter of it is over.

You can imagine, then, why today is such a big deal. This series has been with me for more than half my life. These games, and other media I obsess over to a similar degree, mean so much to be precisely because the story and characters connect with me on such a deep emotional level. My opinion on storytelling in any medium is that the ones that put your emotions in a blender and take you from screaming in anguish to crying tears of joy in the span of a few hours or less are the ones that deserve to be remembered. The best stories should leave you wanting to know more, not just out of curiosity over what happens next, but also for the satisfaction of knowing that the characters you’ve grown to love will be alright.

Kingdom Hearts has consistently checked every single one of those boxes for me for as long as I’ve been playing it. Even the prequels and midquels that ended in tragedy and heartbreak still had a note of assurance that there was still hope. Even if the games that inevitably come out post-KHIII hypothetically don’t have the same emotional impact on me that the pre-III ones did, I will never be able to stop loving the series I grew up with. I’ve been invested in it for so long that it feels like it’s woven into my DNA. This series has grown over the last eleven years just as I have, and whatever the future holds for the franchise, good or bad, I will never regret the time I’ve spent with this incredible saga.

[weareyour4]

The Korean 'Hallyu’ Wave and Its International Success by Valentina H.

I am almost certain that nowadays the vast majority of young people have at least once in their lives come across the terms Korean pop or ‘K-pop’, ‘Korean dramas’, or the not-so-recently boomed-up artist PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’. Whether people love it or hate it (or know nothing about it), Korean cultural export has been booming for over a decade now and it is definitely here to stay. Here I will tell you a little more about its background and analyse the current international success.

The so-called "Korean wave" refers to the phenomenon of Korean entertainment and popular culture rolling over the world with pop music, TV dramas, and movies. Another term for this is "Hallyu" (한류 in Korean), first used towards the end of the 20th century by the Chinese press when South Korean pop-culture rose after decades of internal censorship and began to be broadcast widely in China, Japan and South-East Asia. It steadily gained influence across Asia and, growing in popularity in these regions, it gradually spread into the Middle East, Latin America, Europe, North America and even Africa in the past two decades.

Although the ‘Korean wave’ initially boomed in Chinese speaking countries with K-pop music leading the way, it recorded the highest success in Japan with Korean dramas which appealed to a massive number of Japanese female viewers. Until today, Japan remains the most important country in the world in terms of the ‘Hallyu’ consumption. It is very common for Korean bands who are reaching out to the Japanese audience to often re-record their albums into Japanese, publish singles and new videos in Japanese and do promotions in the country tailored to the Japanese industry standards for popular acts. What's impressive is that exports of Korean video games, television dramas and popular music (K-pop) have worldwide doubled since 1999.

K-pop, or Korean pop music, is the one area that is growing more rapidly than any other in the 21st century, which spans dance-pop, pop ballads, techno, rock, hip-hop, R&B, and so on. The rise of K-Pop worldwide started with Psy’s Gangnam Style in late 2012. The song was the first K-Pop title to reach No. 1 on the British Official Singles Chart, took 2nd place on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the US, and also topped the charts in more than 30 countries. This one viral song opened the door for more K-pop acts, who have already earned massive followings across Asia, to connect to Western audiences.

Most recently, the Korean seven-member rapper-vocal group ‘BTS’ recorded a milestone in the Hallyu wave, when they won the Billboard Music Awards for Top Social Artist this May. Being the first Korean band to be awarded at an American ceremony, they have overtaken pop superstars like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes in the category, thanks to their devoted global following of fans (see image) Despite not singing in English, ‘BTS’ have already toured the US and sold out venues in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

Furthermore, it is said that ‘BTS’ are the band within the industry that is changing what K-pop stands for, not only by producing and creating their own music, but more importantly, by addressing youth-related and social issues publicly, which is not seen very often in the often disclosed and reserved society of South Korea. This, along with their many qualities has earned them the spot of being one of the best worldwide recognised K-pop acts. [For more information on how they revolutionize the industry, refer to the article: https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/bts-kpop-korean-boy-band/]

'BTS’ rank amongst many others acts and artists, however, who have debuted before them and have gained considerable international attention. To name a few: ‘EXO’, whose popularity in their homeland surpasses any other artists; ‘Big Bang’, titled 'Kings of K-pop', whose fashion-icon leader ‘G-Dragon’ is currently on a solo world tour (coming to the UK too); as well as ‘Girls’ Generation’; ‘Super Junior’; ‘PSY’ and many many more. The world of K-pop is vast, colorful and heavily visually-oriented, and although often too extravagant for the 'Western audience’, it is also an exciting culture to become acquainted with to see what sells as pop on the other side of the world. To sign off, I'll leave you guys with some recommendations on popular Hallyu exports!

Top 5 personal recommendations to get acquainted with (modern day) K-pop: BTS - Blood Sweat & Tears EXO - KO KO BOP BLACKPINK - BOOMBAYAH EXID - Up & Down SEVENTEEN - Don't Wanna Cry

For fans of dramas and international tv-shows, 5 K-dramas worth watching: Cheese In the Trap She Was Pretty Fight My Way Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo Goblin

I hope this post was informative, and now that we have put down the basics and context of the Korean Wave, in the future I'd like to look closer at how the Hallyu affects the modern youth! Hope everyone has a lovely rest of the holidays, xx V (≧▽≦)♡

References: http://www.korea.net/AboutKorea/Culture-and-the-Arts/Hallyu http://globe-one.com/power-of-culture-hallyu-the-korean-wave-4636/ https://quod.lib.umich.edu/i/iij/11645653.0002.102/--hallyu-20-the-new-korean-wave-in-the-creative-industry?rgn=main;view=fulltext http://www.economist.com/node/15385735 http://iwahs.org/what-is-hallyu/?ckattempt=1 http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-39998511

[godlessgeekblog]

How To Increase Youtube Audience Video Retention Time?

Audience retention is the video’s capability to keep your attention of the audience all through the recording, or at best a large amount from it. It’s measured because the average number of the YouTube video that individuals watch, then when people generally watch just the first three minutes of the 10-minute video, you’ll have a retention rate of 30%. YouTube takes this metric seriously, and also the safest target for video creators is really a retention rate of fiftyPercent and above. Keep in mind that the greater a video’s retention rate, ishe more visible it will likely be online, and also the greater it’ll rank searching results.

To see the way your videos do when it comes to audience retention, simply sign in to YouTube, see your funnel and play a relevant video. Click the analytics button at the end from the video, plus the video description and title. You’ll be come to the analytics page and you’ll begin to see the average view duration within a few minutes and percentages.

Within the remaining days in October, I wish to concentrate on _____________ with my YouTube funnel (complete the blank)

examples: ‘increasing audience retention’ ‘earning more money’ ‘developing my audience’ ‘getting more subscribers/views’ ‘improve video optimization’ pic.twitter.com/A5a4yCgD8V

– TubeBuddy (@TubeBuddy) October 19, 2018

YouTube makes it simple for video creators to trace the retention rate of the videos by it using their analytics. By doing this, you are able to focus your time and efforts towards growing video audience retention online. Listed here are great ways to do that:

Evaluate your videos for much better video audience retention

You cannot just upload a relevant video and then leave it there, wishing against hope that individuals will see it as well as your future videos. Try to benefit from the YouTube analytics feature and discover the way your videos do. Evaluate the retention rate of the previous videos and grow from them.

A higher relative retention rate (50% and above) is nice and implies that viewers stored watching over fifty percent of the video. The relative retention rate may be the percentage you instantly see within the Audience retention box within the Analytics section. You must also consider the absolute retention to determine when most viewers have a tendency to leave. You can observe the complete retention rate by hovering your mouse over certain points around the graph.

The instance within the image above shows which more than 1 / 2 of viewers don’t allow it to be past 20 seconds from the 2.5-minute video. The complete retention rate just dives lower next, as proven within the graph. Consequently, the relative retention rates are limited to 28.5%.

Knowing after which of the video most viewers fall off will explain that they have lost interest and you need to do something about this when designing the next videos. Also, review your videos having a high audience retention and evaluate what made viewers stay.

Start immediately

If you notice that viewers have a tendency to fall off within the first 10-20 seconds of the video, that informs you that the intro is unexciting or off-subject. In the beginning, provide your audience that which you guaranteed. In case your video title states ‘How to Edit Videos for YouTube,’ start it immediately rather of telling the target audience first about trivial such things as that which you ate earlier or how YouTube altered your existence.

Enable your viewers know immediately what they’re getting out of your video so they will remain.

Do market and keyword research for much better retention

YouTube is fun, but it is not every about this for many video creators. There’s lots of effort behind the curtain, and market and keyword research is one.

Behind the curtain…

Many people think youtube is fun and merely gaming.

Although it’s an amazing journey and to tell the truth fun as hell. A variety of it is behind the curtain work

Thumbnails, split testing, market and keyword research.

Perform the hard stuff so that you can do that which you love pic.twitter.com/fghh1W1rmt

– LethalHusky (@LethalHusky) December 28, 2018

The most viewed videos address an issue, meet a want or need, and add value. By researching keywords properly, you will be aware what your audience is searching for and you may create content according to it. Use Google and YouTube’s auto suggest feature. For instance, in case your niche is plumbing, and also you type that word within the search bar, YouTube will suggest the themes that many people finder for.

A different way to find keywords is to check out the origin code of the competitor’s videos. Visit the video using the greatest views, right click the page, and choose ‘View page source.’ Discover the word ‘keyword’ and you will see all of the keywords your competitor utilized in that video.

List the suggestions and also the keywords in the competitors, and employ a keyword planner for example Kparser or Keywordtool.io to determine the amount of searches, trends, and just how competitive the keywords are.

Break the monotony

Looking in the same factor in excess of about a minute could possibly get boring, which could make viewers weary and proceed to the following video. Your audience retention rate are affected due to this.

To avert this scenario, alter the screen in your videos every couple of seconds by utilizing B-roll, cards, graphics, and text. Here’s an enlightening video of methods B-rolls can produce a difference in any kind of video.

If you’re shooting a how-to video, move about from left to right, or zoom out and in. Make certain that you simply provide your viewers an engaged viewing experience so that they will remain with the finish.

Help make your videos the best length

Many people discuss how viewers’ attention span are shorter nowadays, so video creators ought to keep their videos short – like two minutes short. Is shorter really better? Based on YouTube, this isn’t the situation. Keeping videos shorter to improve retention rate won’t use YouTube’s concentrate on promoting videos that includes to some ‘longer viewing session online.A Here’s a workout: look for something online and check out the size of the very first couple of videos proven within the search engine results.

We looked for ‘diy room decor’ for example, and also the first three videos tend to be more than 10 mins lengthy. You will find shorter videos, obviously, but they’re way lower looking search engines.

Interestingly, making longer videos for that sole reason for growing watch time won’t always work either. Bear in mind that the viewers are intelligent beings and they’ll know if you’re dragging the recording out just to ensure that they’re watching.

The bottom line is to produce videos using the viewer’s’ curiosity about mind, and that’s why market and keyword research and keeping the content highly relevant to the keywords are important. Regardless of whether you need three minutes or 24 minutes to promote your message should not matter as lengthy because the video is exactly what your viewers need.

Improve your YouTube video audience retention

We spoken about five ways of growing your video audience retention online, and every one of them centered on creating content that is:

In line with the best keywords

Visually appealing

From the right length

What your audience really needs or wants

It is also insufficient to upload a relevant video and then leave them there. You have to evaluate how they’re doing, that is mainly why there is a YouTube analytics functionality. Make the most of it and other YouTube statistics platforms, evaluate your figures, and make the next video using the analysis in your mind.

from trackrgadget https://socialsignals24.com/increase-video-retention-time/ https://socialsignals24.com/increase-video-retention-time/

[trendyelle]

Sephora’s Weekly Wow Has Urban Decay, Tarte& Benefit For Under $15

There’s a little motto I go by when I need to remind myself that less is almost always better. You know, it disappears something like “one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, more…” Yeah, it’s all fun and games until Jose fucks up your life after like, merely a few hours hours. Nonetheless, there are objections to this concept when it comes to the finer stuffs in life: belatedly night pizza MAKEUP. You can never have too much of the stuff that turns you from 2009 Kylie to 2017 Kylie. Never underestimate the strength of reconstructive surgery good lipstick and don’t ever give anyone tell you differently. Speaking of poppin’ lipstick, we’ve been through not one, but three weeks of Sephora Weekly Wow marketings. If you thought they were good before, you have another thing to access to you this fourth week. Anoint your daddy’s nature credit card because everything in this week’s Weekly Wow is…..wait for it, drum roll delight ….. $ 15 and under. Just fuck me up, Sephora. From Tarte’s lip collection to Benefit Cosmetics mascara and even more Urban Decay goodies, start racking up those charm insider details with these makes before they sell out in like, an hour. 1. Benefit Cosmetic They’re Real! Lengthening& Volumizing Mascara I am literally so picky with my mascara, it’s actually not okay. I’m talking worse than my disgustingly complicated Starbucks guild. Side note: Call out to the baristas who put up with inessential bullshit. Irregardless, I was not content with any overpriced mascara until I tried this beauty. This mascara really gives your eyes the stunning span of questionably fake flogs after exactly a few hairs. Its customized brushing is in order to make even the smaller of flogs look perfectly curled, characterized, thick-skulled, and long af. The mascara be coming back three shades: pitch-black, chocolate-brown, and “beyond blue, ” but perhaps you are able to stick with the first two if you don’t want anyone questioning your sanity( more than they already do ). 2. Tarte Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint These mode lip glosses soften your lips for smooth its implementation and give super pigmented color so it doesn’t feel like an everyday chapstick you could have bought at Duane Reade. They hydrate fugly chapped lips and leave a glossy finish without feeling like your lips are stuck together every time you rub them. There’s a variety of must-have nudes to the sultry light purple everyone is wearing nowadays. 3. Tarte Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint Finally, a lightweight matte drying lipstick that doesn’t realize your lips is like fucking leather after two seconds.* cough** cough* Kylie. This speedy drying lip coat is a liquid-to-matte lipstick so 1) it doesn’t smear all over and/ or get on your front teeth, and 2) you can have the sovereignty( and succor) of moving your opening without your skin cracking. Choose from pinks to browns to shining fuchsia, exert with the little sprig, and have a wino makeout sesh without making a buffoon of yourself. Miracle. 4. Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint And next, we have the glow-up of the matte lipstick: the velvet lip. The following formula feels like your median lipstick but instead dries as a softer, smoother, enhanced matte. The ultra peaches-and-cream cheek decorate comes in neutral or v bold options including psychopath black and something announced “Yaasssss”–no, I’m not encouraging the present decision, that’s only literally the name of their lavender shade. 5. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Original All six of these heaven-sent eyeshadow primers qualify for this week’s Weekly Wow. So I don’t consume my epoch typing the same paragraph six occasions sound like a shatter account, I’m merely going to describe this once, as if the figure alone doesn’t open it away. These eyeshadow primers slip on smoothly to keep your eyelids oily- and crease-free and deepen your eyeshadow color for a full 24 hours. Because Urban Decay understands we all have like, different sees and spooky attention questions, there are six primer tonics to choose from, each cater to a different need. To start, this OG of the knot dries clear and allows you to blend with ease so no one knows you may have done your makeup while somewhat intoxicated. 6. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Eden This primer extradites the same smooth application, but in a simple nude shade. The matte dehydrating primer is reducing redness around the eyes, hiding the facts of the case that you clearly stayed out until 5am( again ). The neutral dye blends in so well, you can even wear it as an eyeshadow if you’re really that fucking lazy( like, same here ). 7. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Caffeine The primer potion comes in a warm brown that the project works perfectly for deeper skin colours and is a long-lasting primer that stays smudge-proof. It preps your eyelids by smoothing out uneven composition and truly redoubles brown eyeshadow colours for a bolder look. 8. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Anti-Aging No one wants to say they had 10 plastic surgeries in a single era before they turned 25 (@ HeidiPratt ). I get it, Urban Decay patently fucking gets it, which is why they created one of their acclaimed primers specifically to hide the fact that we age. Devised with special anti-aging ingredients, this primer eliminates horrifying wrinkles and stiffens the surface around your eyes so you mostly never look like you’re gradually dying–even if you feel like it. Its unique tints brighten your eyes for an alert appearing and shorten swelling to ensure you never look a period over 21. 9. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Fix This primer is actually the best one yet. Not exclusively is it a limited-edition heated beige, but 100 percentage of the proceeds go to selected women’s empowerment nonprofits. So like , now you really have to buy this and no one can say shit about it because you’re candidly helping a really good generate, damn it. Say it with me( and Bey ), WHO RUN THE WORLD ?! Oh, here’s the primer TAGEND 10. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Sin Yes, a primer infused with glittery shit is also an option. This pale nude comes with a shimmer finish that stands set all day long and elevates lame matte tints with a pop of glitter. Glitter is always better, don’t even deny it. You can even wear it alone for a sophisticated champagne search when you’re actually extremely hungover to office and already running late for brunch. Read more: www.betches.com http://selfhelpantiagingtips.com/sephoras-weekly-wow-has-urban-decay-tarte-benefit-for-under-15-43/

[martechadvisor-blog]

Dave Westin, President, MGF – On Building A Marketers’ Community

  MTA spoke to Dave Westin, the President of the non-profit organization Mobile Growth Fellowship, about his efforts in creating a friendly and knowledgeable community of mobile experts. He emphasizes on the need for creating mobile marketing strategies, improving the Brand Experience of customers on mobile, and, aligning the brand with organic influencers only.

According to a forecast on Statista  smartphone penetration in USA will cross 82% by 2020. Yet not all marketers and brands are still mobile savvy. What are the high priority areas in mobile marketing that B2C CMOs need to get on top of, so they don’t get left behind?

In a world being taken over by mobile, online user experience has to be outstanding.  Your website cannot be desktop-only; it must be ready for mobile marketing. 

Customers, especially millennials, will not bother with your company if your content is not optimized for their mobile devices.  Load time and mobile-first design are crucial to driving online revenue. 

It sounds so simple and obvious, but the fact remains that many companies are still behind the eight ball on this.  So, I would call that the highest priority.

Mobile marketing can enable a very high degree of personalization. What are the typical challenges for marketers who are looking to create highly personalized brand experiences over mobile with their customers?

Data privacy is a big issue here.  People are generally becoming more careful with their data and allowing less apps and social media platforms to track their behavior. 

They are wearier than before about allowing an app to know their location, they are browsing in private mode and clearing their browser history more frequently. 

This impedes marketers from creating personalized brand experiences.  Don’t get me wrong - most people have left a big enough footprint out there that marketers still know a ton about them.  However, in this age of GDPR, it may become increasingly difficult to gather recent behavior patterns.

Let’s talk about mobile advertising. How have you seen the space evolve over the last few years? Is the ecosystem as complex as the digital adtech landscape? What are the pain points with mobile advertising for marketers, starting with the many avatars of mobile fraud?

The mobile space has seen a significant increase in video advertising, as well as native, over the past few years.  I don’t believe it to be any more complex than the digital adtech landscape--it’s just different.  **People browsing on mobile are unlikely to be sitting at a desk.  They’re on the go and attention spans are shorter.  Meaning you have to make your ads shorter and more impactful**.  Online fraud will always be prevalent, but I think companies are becoming savvier and taking the right measures to safeguard against new threats.  Selecting strong partners is imperative to combat fraudulent clicks and wasted spend. 

Over the years, how have you seen CMOs’ approach to mobile marketing evolve? Do you think mobile marketing has become strategic to the overall marketing plan yet or is it still being used at a tactical level?

I think that for some companies it has indeed become very strategic.  However, for others, it is just lumped into their overall online strategy, which is a mistake. 

Many marketers’ mobile marketing is nearly identical to their desktop marketing.  This results in a poor, scaled-down version of the desktop experience, which all too often leaves consumers frustrated.

Which industries have become early adopters on the mobile marketing wave? Which industries need to buckle up and get serious about mobile marketing? Do you think B2B marketing is missing the mobile opportunity?

The news and entertainment industries, particularly sports and music, are very strong when it comes to mobile marketing.  They understand that people want to consume their news and music on the go.  The programming industry could and should be doing a lot better with its mobile marketing.  Industries whose focus is consumption via desktop tend to neglect their mobile strategies, but millennials are coding from their phones nowadays so don’t you want your programming language or tools to be top of mind?  **B2B marketing is definitely missing out on the upper funnel awareness that mobile provides**.  Today’s B2B customers who are decision-makers are increasingly getting much of their work done on their mobile devices.

What are the metrics and KPIs unique to mobile marketing and how can CMOs approach the question of attribution or mobile?

Conversion rate is king.  Cost per acquisition, time on site and monthly active users are also of great importance, as is LTV (Life Time Value) of a customer.  With regards to attribution, it is difficult since there is no standard for mobile measurement methods.  Android Referrer, Fingerprint match and other methodologies can break down some of these barriers.

How can CMOs employ social media to build the company’s Brand Image?

Influencers are big in 2018.  Don’t align with the “whales” known for paid promos, but rather with micro-influencers to be used as brand ambassadors, which will feel more authentic and come at a lower price point.

 Also, interact with your industry and community on a frequent basis.

What are some of the more common misconceptions/typical myths that marketers have about mobile marketing?

One common misconception is that people won’t make purchases from their phones.  Firstly, while that may have been the case five years ago, times have changed.  Besides, even if they’re not purchasing from their phones, if they’re doing 80% of their browsing from their phones why would you want to miss out on the brand awareness opportunity?

As a passionate champion of mobile marketing, what are some of your favorite examples of customer engagement using mobile?

One of my favorite examples is SMS-triggered contests and augmented reality.  Another one would be Coca-Cola’s QR code campaign whereby Lyric Coke bottles could be scanned and you would hear a lyric or sound bite from your phone that you could share on social media.

What prompted you to build the “Mobile Growth Fellowship” community? How is the Mobile Growth Fellowship supporting marketers?

The MGF was born to provide mobile marketing professionals with frontline content and community events to help grow their businesses.  MGF is committed to building the world’s most helpful, friendly and knowledgeable community of mobile experts.  Events in the Mobile Growth Summit global conference series prioritize community and content quality above all else, attracting a high-caliber audience of mobile marketing executives, developers and user acquisition leaders.  We will always strive to support the community as best we can - this will always remain our mission and culture.

About Mobile Growth Fellowship:

The Mobile Growth Fellowship (MGF) is a global mobile media company providing mobile marketing professionals with frontline content and community events to help grow their app businesses. Drawing on its roots as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to education, the MGF is committed to building the world’s most helpful, friendly and knowledgeable community of mobile experts. Events prioritize community and content quality above all else, attracting a high-caliber audience of mobile marketers, developers and user acquisition managers working in games, commerce and other app categories, as well as executives representing Adtech, Martech and data companies.

  This article was first appeared on MarTech Advisor

[my-venting-machine-blog1]

Let’s get to know you.

Let's play a game together. A role-play kind of thing. I'll give you some 'character traits' and you'll try your best to really channel this person. At the end of this little game I'll ask you a question. If you really channeled the character you'll know the answer by heart. This won't take long, I promise. Probably about 10 Minutes, depending on how fast you read. Are you ready? ...Okay. Let's start:

A quick outline of your appearance: You're an adolescent boy, probably around 18-20. Brown hair, green-brown eyes and absurdly white teeth. Your height is average (1,76m-ish/roughly 5'9), slim figure, slight tan. You got that? Nice.

Now on to your personality: You're funny, you're smart, you're charming. You have cool interests (comics, video games, skating, music... etc.) and you can get very passionate when talking about them. Especially when it comes to comic lore. You're not afraid to share your feelings with people you're close with, you're not even afraid to cry in front of them. You like to help your friends and you expect nothing in return. You're reliable. A good friend. People like you. Awesome! ...

But that's just the surface. Everyone has layers. I won't be Mary Sue-ing you. You ain't one-dimensional and you sure as hell aren't perfect. No one is. We're going to dig deep and try to find the skeletons in your closet. Though we first have to have an idea of your personality. We're going from neutral to bad. The good stuff is mentioned above. You still with me? Then let's continue.

First layer: You're an introvert.

Let me outline your very basic introvert a little: Introverts appear to be shy at first, but that is slightly inaccurate. They just have a hard time socializing, it often drains their energy to a point where they are just exhausted. That's why introverts rarely take the initiative when meeting someone new. That often leads to them having a small circle of friends, which they're totally fine with. They like their 'alone time'. They sometimes need a lot of space. Once they trust you, they will eventually start sharing their opinions and feelings more frequently and they can even overstep their own boundaries.

You're no exception from this general pattern and you're okay with that although you sometimes wish for it to be different. But hey, that's alright, everyone struggles with their specific "-ism". Nobody judges you. Holy shit, even extroverts struggle with their personality from time to time. Cool? Cool.

Second layer: You have very poor social/verbal skills.

Being an introvert does NOT mean being awful at expressing yourself verbally. That isn't an excuse and actually insulting for all the eloquent introverts out there.

Like the introvert one, this is not a bad trait. The difference is that being an introvert is a real part of your personality whereas your ability to talk is a trait of choice. Atleast in your case. You don't have a disorder. You just chose to not work on that properly resulting in misunderstandings with basically everybody around you.

Third layer: You're not exactly the most honest person.

Let me give you an example: You have the attention span of a fly. When someone notices you weren't listening or paying any attention, you tend to lie yourself 'out of the situation', hoping the other person won't notice. But you're a bad liar. You need to acquire a certain level of social skill to have success with that tactic. Too bad you haven't reached it yet. You would sacrifice every inch of trust that was given to you in order to not embarrass yourself.

Many people are like that. It's an annoying (and again: optional) trait, since you always have the option to just ask people what they're were talking about or what just happened (or what happened in general), but I guess that'd be way too easy. Again, many people share this trait with you, so it's no biggie.

Fourth layer: You're obsessive.

Now this is something way more unpleasant. Imagine being so insecure about yourself that you feel the constant need to be upset about your friends being with their other friends and not with you. That you used to TEXT them all night while they were chilling at someone elses place. Furiously. In tears. That you STILL feel the need let your 'friend' feel bad about hanging around with their friends. You're not even disguising it. You want THEM to feel bad. And because you're almost at a sociopathic level of being obsessive you actually go the biggest lengths to get back at them. With no sense of remorse whatsoever.

So, what is the best way to get back at them? You meet up with someone else too. What, that sounds like a healthy way to deal with the situation? If you'd just crave company that keeps your mind busy, then yes. But that isn't the exact motive, is it? No. It really isn't. If you'd only look for company you'd choose anyone from your small but fine variety of friends. But you aren't lonely. You're bitter. You wanna have some sweet revenge, because your friend makes you feel bad by not hanging around with you.

AN: Now I want you to think of the most pathetic person you've ever met. And they used to be as obsessed with you as you are with that friend I mentioned above nowadays. Imagine kicking U.P. (unpleasant person) out of your life not just once, but three times.

Despite you kicking them out of your life that many times you still consider them 'important'. ...Or do you really? I wonder.

In the back of your head something else rings: The friend you're obsessed with right now also had unpleasant encounters with that 'important' person you want to meet again. Your friend really doesn't like them. And the U.P. used to love YOU. I'll leave it at that. You can figure the reasoning behind your actions out yourself.

Fifth layer: If it's hurting/bothering you, everyone around you should be hurt/bothered too.

This is strongly tied with #4. And we're slowly getting to the point where it's just uncomfortable to read further.

If you aren't happy, then your close friends shouldn't be happy as well. For you, it's as simple as that. You continue whining and muttering until everyone has a bad time. And that doesn't even happen on a verbal level, no, your passive-aggressive ass is sending out subliminal messages. Is it that hard to talk about your problems? But don't worry, the majority of your friends just accept the fact that you're having a bad day. But the inner-circle (1-2 people approx. in your case) knows you're passive-aggressive on a daily basis.

How does that make you feel? Does it feel nice to ruin your friends moods? Dragging them down? You don't need to answer that. Just let it sink in.

AN: I hope you already cringe.

Sixth layer: You're manipulative and a guilt-tripper. And you play the victim card way too often.

Scenario time!

Let's say, you were totally wasted a while ago and tried to jump out of the window to kill yourself. You're not even suicidal, you just wanted to prove a point. And some attention. Hey, everybody makes mistakes, this is still acceptable, don't wet yourself. Consider me your friend. I am your friend. I wanna help you.

I try to talk to you about your problems, but, big surprise, it backfires. You get all whiney, shedding the biggest crocodile tears known to mankind. It annoys me. I get loud. I get angry. You cry. You cry me a river. Two rivers. You lock yourself in the bathroom, you smash windows, you verbally abuse yourself.

And then, when I get irrational and start to behave like a mental moron your inner hypocrite starts showing- Telling me I need to change.

Action/Reaction principle. The chicken or the egg causality dilemma. Who started it?

The case is clear. Crystal clear. You're the victim. You'll always be the victim. Why? Because tears beat violence. Yes? Right? Rock beats scissors. Always. The world is black and white. There's only the obvious right and the obvious wrong. My anger is worse than your fake tears. Your emotional manipulative, guilt-tripping tears. No doubt.

Knowing about my anger issues and provoking them until you have something to hold against me isn't you being an aggressor. You playing the small little victim card, guilt tripping my ass to the moon isn't manipulative.

Right?

We're both victims, both aggressors. The difference between you and me is that I am not actively trying to provoke your tears or all of the bullshit that comes with it.

Seventh layer: You deny any of your bad traits, because you don't want to admit that you haven't changed a bit over the last couple of years AKA You're absolutely delusional.

The worst trait is not acknowledging all the mayhem you cause all the time. IGNORING IT. You won't admit to your sociopathic, manipulative behaviour and you never question the motives behind your actions. You're delusion goes beyond everything I've ever known. And the worst part is: You're still blaming this on me. Saying I haven't grown up and matured. Telling me, you've change so much while repeating this neverending nightmarish cycle of emotional torture and treating me like I am the only one to blame.

Atleast I know I am an asshole too. Atleast I try to wear my heart on my sleeve. But this isn't about me. _______________________________

You get your question in a bit. Just a quick conclusion.

Remember my words from the beginning? That this wouldn't take long? It actually takes a long ass time make yourself look this pathetic. Especially when you started out as a nice person. A decent one. You see, when you make a friend you usually like them. You want them to be a part of your life.

No exception here. I really liked you. And I trusted you. From day one. You progressively destroyed this friendship.

And in the end I started participating. I feel bad about myself.

But you never even bothered to try to explain yourself properly, did yo? You know, all I heard was bullshit over bullshit.

Now I know that the average innocent reader doesn't really know much about my history with you. But I still dare to ask this question:

If this was really you, on a scale of 1 to 10, how disgusted would you be with yourself?

[trendyelle]

Sephora’s Weekly Wow Has Urban Decay, Tarte& Benefit For Under $15

There’s a little adage I go by when I need to prompt myself that less is almost always better. You know, it get something like “one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, more…” Yeah, it’s all fun and games until Jose fucks up their own lives after like, only a few times hours. Nonetheless, ��theres” exclusions to this concept when it comes to the finer thoughts in life: late darknes pizza MAKEUP. You can never have too much of the stuff that diverts you from 2009 Kylie to 2017 Kylie. Never underestimate the strength of reconstructive surgery good lipstick and don’t ever tell anyone tell you differently. Speaking of poppin’ lipstick, we’ve been through not one, but three weeks of Sephora Weekly Wow marketings. If you thought they were good before, you have another thing coming to you this fourth week. Consecrate your daddy’s centre credit card because everything in this week’s Weekly Wow is…..wait for it, drum roll delight ….. $ 15 and under. Just fuck me up, Sephora. From Tarte’s lip collection to Benefit Cosmetics mascara and even more Urban Decay goodies, start racking up those elegance insider phases with these commodities before they sell out in like, an hour. 1. Benefit Cosmetic They’re Real! Lengthening& Volumizing Mascara I am literally so squeamish with my mascara, it’s certainly not okay. I’m talking worse than my disgustingly complicated Starbucks ordering. Side tone: Call out to the baristas who put up with inessential bullshit. Irregardless, I was not content with any overpriced mascara until I tried this beauty. This mascara really gives your eyes the drastic span of questionably bogus flogs after only a few coats. Its customized brush is designed to make even the smallest of lashes look perfectly curled, characterized, thick-skulled, and long af. The mascara comes in three emblazons: black, brown, and “beyond blue, ” but maybe you should stick with the first two if you don’t want anyone questioning your sanity( more than they already do ). 2. Tarte Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint These stating lip gloss soften your lips for smooth its implementation and extradite super pigmented color so it doesn’t feel like an everyday chapstick you could have bought at Duane Reade. They hydrate fugly chapped cheeks and leave a lustrou finish without seeming like your cheeks are stuck together every time you chafe them. There’s a variety of must-have nudes to the sultry obscurity purple everyone is wearing nowadays. 3. Tarte Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint Finally, a lightweight matte dehydrating lipstick that doesn’t shape your lips feel like fucking leather after two seconds.* coughing** coughing* Kylie. This speedy drying lip coat is a liquid-to-matte lipstick so 1) it doesn’t smear all over and/ or get on your front teeth, and 2) they are able to have the sovereignty( and aid) of moving your lip without your scalp break. Choose from pinks to browns to bright fuchsia, refer with the little twig, and have a drunk makeout sesh without making a gull of yourself. Miracle. 4. Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint And next, we have the glow-up of the matte lipstick: the velvet lip. This formula feels like your average lipstick but instead dehydrates as a softer, smoother, deepened matte. The ultra peaches-and-cream cheek decorate comes in neutral or v daring alternatives including sociopath pitch-black and something called “Yaasssss”–no, I’m not encouraging the present decision, that’s simply literally the name of their lavender shade. 5. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Original All six of these heaven-sent eyeshadow primers qualify for this week’s Weekly Wow. So I don’t consume my meter typing the same paragraph six periods sound like a break-dance record, I’m simply going to describe this once, as if the mention alone doesn’t impart it away. These eyeshadow primers slither on smoothly to keep your eyelids oily- and crease-free and deepen your eyeshadow shadow for a full 24 hours. Because Urban Decay understands we all have like, different attentions and spooky attention questions, there are six primer tonics make their own choices, each catering to a different necessary. To start, this OG of the knot dehydrates clear and allows you to blend with ease so no one knows you may have done your makeup while somewhat intoxicated. 6. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Eden This primer gives the same smooth application, but in a simple nude subtlety. The matte drying primer helps reduce redness around the eyes, disguising the facts of the case that you clearly abode out until 5am( again ). The neutral hue blends in so well, they are able to even wear it as an eyeshadow if you’re certainly that fucking lazy( like, same here ). 7. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Caffeine The primer potion comes in a warm brown that works perfectly for deeper skin styles and is a long-lasting primer that bides smudge-proof. It preps your eyelids by smoothing out uneven quality and truly intensifies brown eyeshadow colors for a bolder look. 8. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Anti-Aging No one wants to say they had 10 plastic surgeries in a single date before they swerved 25 (@ HeidiPratt ). I get it, Urban Decay obviously fucking gets it, which is why they created one of their famed primers specifically to hide the fact that we age. Devised with special anti-aging ingredients, this primer eradicates shocking wrinkles and tightens the skin around your eyes so you basically never look like you’re gradually dying–even if you feel like it. Its unique tints brighten your eyes for an alert form and shorten swelling to ensure you never seem a daylight over 21. 9. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Fix This primer is actually the best one hitherto. Not merely is it a limited-edition warm tan, but 100 percentage of the continues go to selected women’s empowerment nonprofits. So like , now “youve been” have to buy this and no one can say shit about it because you’re honestly facilitating a really good generate, damn it. Say it with me( and Bey ), WHO RUN THE WORLD ?! Oh, here’s the primer TAGEND 10. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Sin Yes, a primer infused with glittery shit is also an option. This pallid nude comes with a shimmer finish that bides placed all day long and promotes lame matte colors with a pop of sparkle. Glitter is always better, don’t even disclaim it. You can even wear it alone for a sophisticated champagne examination when you’re actually extremely hungover to role and already running late for brunch. Read more: www.betches.com http://selfhelpantiagingtips.com/sephoras-weekly-wow-has-urban-decay-tarte-benefit-for-under-15-7/