#I don't even use most of the icons on my homescreen

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

you don't need an AO3 app - round 2!!!

"AO3 is ugly and I hate the formatting!" -> you can download site skins. very gorgeous ones. and you can use them to change the aesthetics and visuals of AO3. just search 'AO3 skin' on Tumblr or even on google and you will be in A Whole New World. (and those searches should yeild tutorials on how to install the skins as well - it's not something I know a lot about, because I used to primarily use Quizilla and FFN, so I am more than used to Ugly Website. AO3 is very aesthetic and pretty compared to those.)

"AO3 is too bright!!! it hurts my eyes!!!" -> there is a dark mode. scroll down to the bottom. there is a heading that says 'customize'. under this heading, hit the button that says 'reversi'. that is their version of dark mode. and again, you can look for site skins that you like that have a darker background.

"I want to be able to make reading lists!" -> you can make bookmark collections on AO3. In your bookmarks, there is a button that says 'add to collection' beside each work. have fun. go ham. (Also, you can make private bookmarks if you are reading something with more controversial content that you don't really want others to know about - and please know, that any bookmark comments you make on public bookmarks can be seen by the author.)

(this last one made me laugh - because it seems like people are just coming up with bullshit excuses to 'need' an AO3 app when there is literally nothing that an app can go that AO3 can't.)

"my memory is really bad because of reasons sooo I remember to use things better by having them on my homescreen like an app!!!" -> create an AO3 shortcut on your homescreen. most mobile browsers have the capability to put a shortcut to a specific link or a specific website on your homescreen so that you can go straight there - like you would with opening an app. and it can be labelled 'the AO3 app' while simply having the icon of that browser. you can even do this with a link to a specific fic that you are in the process of reading (even down to the specific chapter that you were on). there is literally 0 reasons to have or use an AO3 app.

and remember kids!!! any and all apps with AO3 in their title are not associated with the real archiveofourown in any way, shape, or form - they are unofficial, and technically, they are illegal. and using them is putting all fanficition writers at risk legally (even if there is no active lawsuits right now) - just don't fucking use them. it is a threat to the entire fanfiction hobby just because you want 'the app experience'.

the archive is a non-profit website with 0 ads for a reason, and those apps are scummy scammers who put ads on our stories to make fast easy money when none of the people who made those stories ever consented to it.

[midknightwritings]

Knights as shimeji buddies !!

Synopsis : Shimejis are desktop buddies that play around on the sites / apps you use and love to interact with various elements on your computer !!

What would the members of Knights be like as your little computer buddies ??

Era : N / A

Warning/s : N / A

Mentioned Character/s : G/N!Reader / Tsukasa / Leo / Izumi / Arashi / Ritsu

A/N : I felt super nostalgic when Electric Angel started playing in my playlist but all I could imagine was little chibi Knights running around in my computer LMAO

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

Tsukasa Suou :

He’s such a thoughtful little knight !! He’ll do everything in his power to help you as best as he can !!

Do you need resources for your school paper? He’ll gladly help you search and will provide you with the most reliable sources out there !! Is your computer getting slower? Fret not !! He’ll easily get rid of anything you don’t need, especially all those files you never knew even existed in the first place !!

Tsukasa’s so soft for your attention but he’ll never admit to it… He’s your knight after all !! He’s the one that’s supposed to be serving his liege, not the other way around !! Right…?

He'll 100% melt on the spot if you pet his head or gently move him to a quiet corner if he starts to fall asleep~ Small gestures like these show how much you really care and, even when separated by a screen, you still go out of your way to treat him with kindness. He really appreciates that.

Will definitely help you organize your files and folders if your homescreen starts to get a bit too messy. This might sound like a chore but you customize the names and icons together !! Now your homescreen has a cute royal theme going on :)

If you’re forgetful, he’ll gladly remind you of any important dates or things you need to do. Of course he wants you to have fun and relax, so he’ll let you have small breaks between work, but at the same time please don't slack off !!

Tsukasa loves talking to you and hearing your voice in general !! Your voice is so soothing to him, it helps him relax and destress if he ever feels overwhelmed. You both don’t even have to talk the entire time. Just hearing the quiet mutters under your breath or humming the tune of the song you’re listening to gives the same effect to him.

You’ll have a blast when searching for recipes online. Tsukasa will excitedly give you a masterlist of different websites based on recipes for cakes, brownies, cookies, ice cream and more !! Don’t ask when he created this though… He’ll get very embarrassed…

Loves being by your side as a whole. Whether you're drawing, scrolling through social media, watching videos, or more. He loves experiencing all these things with you. [ If you’re watching something together, expect him to slowly inch his way closer to your cursor. So please place your cursor beside your dock, it’ll save him the energy and embarrassment from having to climb up to the top of your screen. ]

Always greets you when you boot up your system and will always wish you sweet dreams / a great day when you log off. Isn’t he the sweetest?

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

Leo Tsukinaga :

Expect your screen to be filled with music notes 99.9% of the time. [ That 0.1% is reserved for the times Leo seemingly tires himself out and falls asleep. ]

Never a dull moment with this little knight !! Very active, energetic and LOVES being with you as a whole !! It doesn't matter what you do, Leo just loves being in your presence as a whole~ You give him so much inspiration !! Oh no wait... Where's his pen ?? He needs to write this melody down before it disappears forever-

When I say active, I really mean it. He will climb on the sides of your screen, move around your folders and files, close and open tabs. He’ll do it all just for the fun of it so be prepared !!

He will 100% play hide-and-seek in your folders and expect you to drop whatever you're doing and play along so good luck if you have a ton of them !!

Your playlist king but with his original songs instead !! He loves to show you his new works so please listen for a while, he composed it with you in mind <3

If he notices you overworking yourself, he’ll try and get you to take a break by doing his absolute best to distract you. [ i.e. Grabbing your cursor, opening your games, etc. ] He never nags you to do your work because he knows that you'll finish them at some point so c'mon !! Let's watch a movie together !!

Are you a musician yourself ?? WOOO BOY THIS IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN !! You’ll both pull all nighters composing and writing up new lyrics !!

Leo will be a happy lil knight if you want him to sing for you. Whether if it's for your original song or a cover, he’s ecstatic !!! Completely over the moon !! Of course he’ll sing, he loves you so~much !!

If you want to learn about music, or a music program, he will definitely help guide you through it. You’ll be a master in the blink of an eye with this genius composer by your side !!

On his off days though, he’ll be more dormant, less giddy and even tries to hide from you to avoid being seen in this state. Please comfort him :( He needs to know that he’s loved and that everything will be ok.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

Izumi Sena :

Good luck trying to procrastinate with this knight around because he will absolutely make sure you get your work done in one go !!

The physical embodiment of those apps that lock you out of your social media or video games until you finish your work. Don’t misunderstand his actions negatively though. They may seem cruel on the outside but Izumi genuinely cares about you and knows how much you’d appreciate the free time you’ll get later. So please just bear with him for now and stop procrastinating !!

Gives you the best feedback possible for your projects [ even though they may seem quite harsh… That’s just Izumi for you… ] and his keen eye for detail helps him spot mistakes from a mile away !! Honestly this is quite helpful especially if you worked on something for so long that your eyes basically blocked out any sort of error in your work.

Always reminds you of any upcoming dates or assignments saying that he’s “going to say this only once,” before following up with more reminders later on because “it’s so~annoying that you still didn’t start when the due date is just around the corner !!”

Will go out of his way to organize your files. Every. Single. One of them. He will even go in and rename them all for you because he finds it unbearable that you have files called “ahufuhiahuifaf.ppt” or “FINAL final essay v2 (submit this one??) #5.docx” and you wonder why you can’t seem to find the version you wanted to submit huh?

If you’re the type to get fully engrossed in something when you’re on a roll, Izumi will make sure you don’t pull an all-nighter. Sleep deprivation isn’t good for your skin after all !!

The funniest commentator known to man if you’re doing online shopping. He will not hesitate to roast the outfits/products into oblivion in the best ways possible. At this point, you’re not even planning on getting anything, you just want to hear Izumi's roasts don’t you?

He may seem like a nagging mom, but he gets super flustered if you show any signs of affection. The literal personification of;

[ Pets his head. ] “What was that ?!” “Affection.” “Disgusting… Do it again.”

If you struggle with sending emails or messages to authority figures [ i.e. your boss, teachers, etc. ] Izumi will not hesitate to help you out !! He knows how the grown-up world works so he’ll guide you through it. Tips, sentence starters, professional synonyms and more; Izumi will give them all to you. He even went out of his way to write up various templates you can use for different scenarios <3 He totally didn’t do that because he doesn’t want you to worry or anything !! [ Spoiler alert : He’s secretly cheering you on. ]

Even though Izumi may seem strict, if you listen carefully, you might catch him mindlessly muttering under his breath on how much you mean to him <3 [ Don’t bring it up though, he WILL deny it… In a stuttering mess of course~ ]

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

Arashi Narukami :

This queen is your #1 supporter !! She’s always cheering you on when you’re doing work and keeps you company from the moment you log in till the moment you log out.

She’s like Izumi but more flexible. She wants to make sure you finish your work first before you chill, doesn’t want you to stay up too late, and will always give you reminders for any important dates that are coming up. At the same time though, she still lets you take breaks in between because she knows that you’ll get your work done eventually, she just doesn’t want you to do it all the night before~

Arashi loves hanging out with you !! Especially when you watch videos, shows or movies together !! The two of you would often make up various theories, predictions or just freak out over the characters !! It’s just like a super fun sleepover !!

If you play video games, don’t be surprised if she gets a little bit competitive~ It’s all for funsies though so don’t worry !! [ I don’t recommend playing UNO or monopoly online though... For obvious reasons~ ]

On the topic of video games, she’s the best partner you could ever ask for !! You always rank #1 in multiplayer matches together. Arashi never cheats by the way !! She plays by the rules no matter what game it is, even though she can easily go into the game's code if she wanted to. She knows you want to play fair-and-square though, and respects that.

Expect a lot of “older sister” - type of teasing and doting from her like c’mon~!! You’re both practically inseparable, did you really think she’ll let you off the hook ?? She finds you absolutely adorable and would spoil you to no end !!

Arashi also adores going online shopping with you !! She recommends the best products and even lets you know about every single website that’s currently having a sale~ If she finds something that she knows you’ll like, she’ll sneak it into your basket for you <3

If you’re swamped with work, she’ll actively organize your files for you to help ease your load. She’ll also happily tutor you if you need any help and will look over your work as a fresh new set of eyes to ensure that there’s no mistakes before submission !!

Swoons and showers you with affection if you give her any yourself~ She’s especially soft for your headpats or if you make a heart from your cursor movements !!

Every time you log in, you can see her pop into your screen and wave excitedly at you !! Arashi never fails to give you good morning and good night greetings and even gives your cursor a big hug before you finally click the “shutdown” button <3

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

Ritsu Sakuma :

Honestly, he’ll be asleep most of the time during the day. You can find him snuggled up in a small corner on your screen because your presence is comforting to him <3

At night however… This knight is much more active !! You better have finished your work during the day because Ritsu is craving for your attention and he’ll make sure he gets it !!

He will do everything in his power to distract you and honestly his efforts are quite cute. He’ll move your tabs, climb to the top of your window and minimize it, rearrange the apps on your dock. At this point, ignoring him is a futile attempt.

He actually understands if you have an important submission coming up though and will let you work. This is a long-term strategy because in his eyes, if you finish your work now, you’ll give him attention later on~

Ritsu loves when you give him headpats !! He finds them super soothing and it even lulls him to sleep sometimes. He also really appreciates the fact that you don’t bother him that much during the day [ even though you have every right to do so ] and in return, he tries his best to help you if he notices you struggling with anything.

A great planner !! As a "strategist", he helps plan out your schedules and timetables in a very detailed manner. All his timings include breaks so you don’t get burnt out easily~

He tends to be more of a watcher rather than an active participant when you work or play games because he finds your concentrated expression to be quite adorable~ Though, if you do need some help, he’ll happily give some to you !!

On the topic of video games, he will be such a tease. Ritsu’s your unofficial-official commentator and will constantly tell you to “get gud”. Even "chill" games like Minecraft aren't safe because he’ll purposefully adjust your settings without you knowing to subtly mess up your gameplay. Let's not forget that one session where he lowered the mob's volume when you were getting a glass of water so, when you came back, you constantly got blown up by Creepers from behind. Your diamonds will be missed…

You both talk a lot if you watch movies or shows together, but if you watch any vampire ones well… Safe to say Ritsu will roast it into oblivion as well. Poor Ritsu had to sit through the entirety of Twilight and no, vampires don’t sparkle in the sunlight so don’t even try to convince him otherwise !!

On the rare occasions where he’s actually awake during the day, he’s much more sluggish but will still try his best to help you as best as he can !! He expects a lot of headpats as compensation though~

[getvalentined]

Got through the tutorial and the first reactor mission, currently downloading the rest of the game so it'll let me play it, figured I'd give some first impressions.

Gameplay

The controls are decent for a mobile game, if a bit...jagged? Drag-to-move is a little wonky, turns are really slow, and there isn't always a visual cue to show that you've properly interacted with a target in battle.

I don't have a screenshot of it but I feel like the placement of the action icon outside of battle is poor; when walking around, it's really easy for me to have blocked it by accident. It's got too much padding to use the space between that icon and the edge of the screen for the drag controls when moving, but too far from the edge for me to avoid covering it up.

It gave me the tutorial on how to switch modes in battle to defend against big attacks after Barret had already been hit twice by the big attack in question.

It gave me the tutorial on combining limit breaks after both characters had already built up and used their limit breaks once earlier in the battle.

In the pre-game tutorial, the screen went black after I used the limit break and I had to restart the game, but that hasn't happened in the game proper. (Yet.)

Visuals

So far the graphics seem pretty good. Obviously they're fine in battle, that's repurposed Remake models, but outside of battle they're pretty solid. The running animation is a bit slippy for everyone, they've all got a bit of moonwalking going on (especially during cutscenes) but it's not too bad so far.

I don't actually like most of the character portraits so far. The art looks unfinished, if not outright sloppy, particularly on Wedge.

The most finished looking portrait is Barret's. Even Cloud looks kinda like a warmup someone threw color onto.

Overall I think my issue there is that the style is really inconsistent. Line weights are all over the place with no rhyme or reason, some people get more shading than others, the light source is literally incomprehensible.

System

Download speed is horrible. It doesn't matter what kind of connection I'm on, it gives me about 0.01% every couple seconds. I understand this is because the servers are very busy right now, but since it has to be connected all the time this is not a good precedent.

Hopefully that improves because I have really good internet and a pretty nice phone and these were taken a full minute apart. I can now report that if I close and restart the game it runs a little faster for a while then all but stalls out. Not feeling that.

Edit: I can say with certainty now that the game crashes out every time it finishes loading something. It crashed out:

In the middle of the gacha tutorial when I pushed the "attempt" button

When I told it to download the whole game so it would stop having to do it every time I finish something

When it hit 100% on the progress bar for downloading the whole game

In the middle of the main menu tutorial when I pushed the "missions" button

It goes black or dumps me back to my homescreen and I have to restart the game. So that bodes really well for saving progress or actually getting the things that you're inevitably going to pay for.