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samayla · 6 months ago

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A little more discussion of RPGs as tools for teaching coding concepts, per @raindoor's request. I hope you know what you're getting into...

This is a long one, so I'm going to throw it under a read-more -

Early intro to coding...

I teach the very earliest introduction to computer coding to 4th-6th grade students as part of my library/media curriculum. They all go on to take serious coding classes beginning in 7th grade. I am primarily meant to introduce them to core concepts like sequencing and debugging algorithms, and using variables, conditionals, events, text, and sprites to create interactive programs. I have been instructed by my administration to use Code.org to accomplish this.

Code.org is a great program -- and totally free, which is why I think it came to their attention in the first place -- that uses a programming language called Blockly to teach those core concepts. Students snap together little packets of code (colored blocks) to solve puzzles, create scenes, and build games.

The kids are engaged by challenges that feature Minecraft, Plants vs. Zombies, Frozen, Ice Age, Star Wars, and more. And by giving them those premade blocks of code, there are FAR fewer chances for bugs to be introduced to their programs.

Code.org is great, BUT --

Many of my kids are used to playing computer games where they can just sort of keysmash their way through. Click on enough stuff, and things will happen. Code.org feels like a video game. The kids don't *have* to read the instructions. They don't *have* to know what they're doing in order to make it through a level. All they have to do is happen upon the right combination of blocks and press run, and the computer assumes they know what happened.

That's fine at first. The levels in the early units I use with 4th and 5th graders are mostly mazes of one kind or another. Simple challenges with simple solutions. Even the lesson above, which is supposed to teach them to use loops, will let them go on if they just slap together a list of FwdFwdFwdFwdRightFwdFwdFwdFwdFwd instead. Never mind that the point is the loops because we're on our way to using *nested* loops in the very next lesson...

Computer-less coding?

I have tried mixing in all sorts of non-computer-based reinforcement activities to help the kids nail down the core logic and reasoning process behind coding. Research shows that skills learned -- and even mastered -- on a computer do not necessarily translate to real life, so I wanted ways to get them off that computer and thinking for themselves from time to time. We've done debugging relays where each member of the team can correct one step in an algorithm or make a single new one. We've done coding labyrinths after reading Percy Jackson, where they have to lead their friends through a maze and avoid all the monsters. Worksheets where we rewrite code as a paragraph of actual sentences, so they see what exactly they're telling the computer to do. Jeopardy games where they read a set of instructions and figure out what it is asking them to do or find for their code. The most evil game of Follow the Leader on Earth, where we take turns adding tasks (like jumping jacks, ballet spins, etc) to a sequence, and then roll a die to put the items into loops, and then nested loops, so they can see the way instructions can quickly multiply. Anything to disengage that keysmash mentality.

Last year, my 6th graders were going to be the death of me. They had completed two years of coding with me, and we'd moved from maze puzzles and simple games, to a section of Code.org called Sprite Lab, where they were supposed to be able to use those early concepts to help them create scenes, short animations, simulations, and even basic mobile-like games. They couldn't do it. The code was suddenly non-linear, and it was like everything they knew flew right out of their heads. I realized they truly lacked the basic logic processes and computational thinking skills to work their way through even the earliest tasks in Sprite Lab.

Enter TTRPGs.

In trying to find a way to help the kids build these skills, I stumbled across a wonderful article by Bryant Owen on Medium. He talks about using RPGs to reinforce all kinds of skills, including the very logic and computational reasoning skills I was looking to build. Instead of the online RPG videogames he mentions, though, I thought back to the labyrinth game they'd played as 4th graders, or the debugging relay races across the library. The kids are far better at holding each other accountable than a computer is.

My brother is into D&D, and I'd played a handful of solo TTRPGs myself at that point, so I went digging on itch.io for some freebies to try out on my kids. We tried a couple of very simple solo journal-style RPGs to practice using conditionals (If, then statements) -- You are on your way to deliver a basket of goodies to Grandma's house. If you roll a 1, you meet a stranger in the woods. 2, you find an injured rabbit. 3, there's a thunderstorm. Etc. They created their own short stories and shared them with their friends. The journal style really worked for a couple of students, but it was a lot of writing for most of them. After playing through with my bland list of events and conditionals, they got to make their own versions. They had to make a list of 5 events (packing a bag, entering the woods, crossing a river, etc), and then create a dice roll list of complications for each event that would determine how the story went. Then they sat with their friends and just talked through the story. They were so gleefully mean to each other -- getting stuck up trees, eaten by alligators, chased by zombies, etc -- but they had fun!

We upped the complexity by playing a Magizoology game wherein they used a combination of cards and dice to create magical or monstrous creatures and describe the encounters in a field guide worksheet I made. They rolled and drew cards to create their characters, then did the same to determine the habitat their team was exploring, a size for the creature, a "most notable feature" (eyes, legs, teeth, etc) and an elemental affinity. The art was hilarious! And their encounters got more and more creative as they became more and more comfortable with the process.

The Magizoology game went on to indoor recess with them as they learned it in the middle of a very bitter winter. I showed them how to write their own field guide entries on notebook pages, and I made them a simple sheet that got folded in quarters, so they wouldn't need cards or dice to play. One quarter got the numbers 1-6 for the dice. One quarter got the four suits of cards. And the last half of the page got all the cards, Ace-King. They could flick their erasers at it, drop pebbles or paperclips, spin the paper and stop it with a finger, etc. I had kids bringing me their especially gnarly or magical monsters for a week!

Honey Heist

Finally, we went full-storytelling RPG mode, with a GM and character creation and everything.

I found the game Honey Heist for them. It's a simple, one-page RPG in which you and your friends play as a team of highly successful criminals, who also happen to be bears. For elementary students, I did a teensy bit of censoring the language, but it was a big hit. It was by far the most complex game, if only because of all the elements you have to keep in mind as you play. First of all, the kids had to create their characters and the heist scenario using a series of dice rolls. They had to formulate an elaborate and daring plan to steal the honey. They did this in character. It was hilarious! During the heist, they not only had to cooperate and work to each other's bear and criminal strengths, they had to track bear vs criminal points (we used puzzle pieces we flipped back and forth - blank=bear, colored=criminal) and if a player maxxed out in either direction during the heist, they lost -- very dramatically!

The kids didn't know it, but in Honey Heist especially, their brains were working overtime. They were tracking multiple variables at any given moment as they made decisions based on the team's various bear/criminal stats. They had to act within the parameters set by their character design (like a sprite that has been given instructions). They had to think and plan several steps ahead, taking into consideration how the other characters would likely react. They had to remember to roll and react appropriately at predetermined points in the game (events and conditionals). They had to build their sequencing and computational reasoning skills on the fly as they broke down the problems their team faced into smaller, more manageable chunks. And they had fun! They got through 2-3 rounds of the game the first day, and they came back with all sorts of strategy to test out the second day. Kids reshuffled their groups based on who wanted an evil playthrough, or a Robin Hood round, or whatever.

Then, they created their own Honey Heist-style RPG. I broke down the format of the game into a series of worksheets, and they created their own premise, a seesawing stat to track like Honey Heist's bear/criminal, and character and scenario creation tables. The kids did amazing work! At the end of the unit, I made photocopies of their games, and we had a couple of play days. We had games about stray cats, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (did I mention we were in a library? books were on the brain), dinosaurs, evil dinosaurs with super powers, kids at summer camp, the Zombie Apocalypse, paintball, Indiana Jones, escaping lab animals, Star Wars... It was honestly incredible. And the games all worked! The logic flowed, their friends had fun, and there were no easy-outs to get to that point. The games worked because they knew how to make them work.

The takeaway?

Did my 6th graders miraculously become coding superstars in Sprite Lab?

Of course not.

But they asked better questions. Instead of, "I don't get it," and, "Well, how am I supposed to know that?" I was getting, "Ok. So, it says... and I tried... but..."

TTRPGs take a while to get to your goal. They learned that fast doesn't always equal good.

TTRPGs require you to do your best for your fellow players. They learned they'd better pay attention and know what the heck is going on.

TTRPGs require lateral thinking. They learned that sometimes, their first plan isn't necessarily the best plan, and more importantly, it's okay to try it or talk it through.

TTRPGs have complex mechanics that determine important events. They learned that they don't have to know everything, but they do need to know where to look for the answers.

TTRPGs require you to think for yourself and create different versions of the same thing. They learned how to think their way through following examples to create their own unique versions of things, whether they be simple characters, or entire projects.

TTRPGs often have long instructions. They learned instructions aren't a punishment or a chore, but a treasure-trove of critical information meant to help them be successful.

After our RPG unit, there was sound logic involved in the kids' decision-making. They were able to pinpoint problems, even if they didn't yet know how to solve them. They were taking their time. Reading and rereading instructions for clues and hints. They had pride in what they were creating.

#ttrpg #computer coding #coding #teaching

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analysingyouthmedia · 21 days ago

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MINECRAFT EDUCATION

For my third professional activity i decided to explore an electronic resource for children or young adults or about delivering services to children or young adults. In this case ‘Minecraft Education’

Despite my facilitating of the event, I have yet to see what it might offer in a strictly classroom style setting, to teach a specific subject matter. Our event mainly focuses on teaching creative expression, ethics of healthy play, and team cooperation. Thus I sat down with Microsoft Minecraft Education(Mojang Studios, n.d.). edition to explore it’s potential in use as classroom learning tool. And examine the game’s wider use as part of a the ongoing discussion surrounding Emerging technologies and Digital learning.

Downloading the game was relatively painless, and after setting up an account, i swiftly launched into play. I was confronted with a plethora of premade “lessons” each designed to be an interactive experience aimed at teachers to walk them through what an experience is intended to be like for student engagement.

I chose “CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper”, the narrative opens with you taking on the role of a student attending a digital design course, you walk in with your friends and take your seat at a school filled with adorable sprite rendered objects depicting the various emerging technologies.

The narrative alternates between your home life as a student encountering ideas on the internet via your home computer and family members and the instructions given by teachers. It concludes with an anti-climactic revelation from your teacher about how much of this emerging field is speculation and that much of the content could be upended within the coming years or decades, but that by providing you with a framework of Interaction now, you may be better served when having to learn new skills in the future.

Ultimately I’m deeply intrigued by the novelty of having a class brought to us via digital mode and hope that further explorations of using digital spaces are used effectively. I doubt they’ll effect my work as of yet, but who knows what the future may hold.

References: Mojang Studios. (n.d.). Minecraft Education Edition. Microsoft. https://education.minecraft.net/

Kingston Libraries. (2025, May 26). Kingston miners. Kingston Libraries. https://library.kingston.vic.gov.au/whats-on/events-activities/kingston-miners

Kafai, Y. B., & Burke, Q. (2016). Connected gaming : what making video games can teach us about learning and literacy. The MIT Press.

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photocut-ai · 2 months ago

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Transform Images and Text into Pixel Art

This art form ranges from old to charming computer art. It varies from vintage video games to even more modern, pixel-based graphics and everyone with a particular taste for old art or perhaps an interest in graphics will feel interested in them. However, the process of making pixel art takes a very long time with a few sets of skills. PhotoCut's AI Pixel Art Generator is a very fun and simple way to convert text and images into amazing pixel art. Due to its pixelated look, it is particularly suitable for pixel-based art, such as portraits, anime sprites, and even Minecraft-inspired designs. In this blog, we will demonstrate how PhotoCut's AI Pixel Art Generator can be used to generate pixelated images, edit them to your taste, and give your graphic design projects a little boost.

What is Pixel Art and Why Does it Matter?

Let's start with the definition of what pixel art is and why it's gained so much popularity before discussing how PhotoCut's AI Pixel Art Generator works.

Pixel art is digital art that shows pictures at the pixel level of editing and production, sometimes with a blocky or vintage look. This form of art style was created in early video games, which included 8-bit and 16-bit graphics because it was the most feasible with the hardware at that time. Pixel art, on the other hand, has grown in popularity in pop culture, games, designs, and animations.

Pixel art has regained its appeal as a result of the enormous success of independent games, social networking, and retro-inspired projects. It ranges from simple game sprites to very elaborate portraits created entirely through pixel art. Pixel art has complex patterns even in its most basic forms. Pixel art is an excellent method to express your creativity, regardless of whether you are a graphic designer, animator, or game developer.

Now that you know why pixel art appeals to us so much, let's look at how PhotoCut's AI Pixel Art Generator can make pixel art quickly and simply.

Create an amazing book cover using PhotoCut’s book cover maker.

Features of PhotoCut’s AI Pixel Art Generator

With a vast array of features, creating fantastic pixel art with PhotoCut's AI Pixel Art Generator has never been simpler. You could pixelate pictures or generate art based on any text prompt. With PhotoCut, it will only take a fraction of your time. Its main features include:

1. Convert Images to Pixel Art in One Click

If you want to turn any image into pixel art, all the heavy lifting is taken care of for you by the AI Pixel Art Generator of PhotoCut. Simply upload the picture you want to convert, and this tool will detect and pixelate the subjects for you. Portraits, landscapes, or even complicated designs, can easily be changed into pixel art by PhotoCut's AI.

Any image file including a picture of yourself, artwork, or just some photo pulled off the internet can be uploaded and then speedily transformed by AI into pixelated form. The result is a clear, tacky image fitting right into the aesthetic of pixel art.

Color correct your photos using PhotoCut effortlessly.

2. Generate Pixel Art from Text Prompts

With this application, besides converting images into pixel art, you can create pixel art using a text description. This helps in creating designs from text where there may be no image that one could have used as the basis. For instance, someone can just enter the description of the pixel art they would want to have created, and an AI would do the work, producing an image according to their description.

For instance, you may tell the AI to describe an anime character, the landscape of Minecraft, or a fantasy creature; the AI will create a pixel art drawing based on your text. You can even request how big the pixel art is, such as 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit, to suit your desired look.

3. Customizable Pixel Art Options

Among the best things about PhotoCut's Pixel Art Generator is that it is very flexible. It can be customized in terms of what you prefer on your pixel art. Some things you can control include:

Aspect Ratio: The size of the generated pixel art is adjustable to meet your needs. It may be creating an avatar or detailed character sprite, so you can adjust the aspect ratio to whatever looks right for your needs.

Pixel Size: You have multiple options between 8, 16, or 32 bits depending on how detailed you want your artwork to be. The smaller pixel sizes will give you a more classic, blocky look. Larger pixels will enable you to create more designs.

Quantity: you can also make multiple copies of your creation so you can choose from a few options.

These options ensure that you can fully customize your pixel art, making sure that it will perfectly fit the image you want to create.

4. Online and Easy to Use

Unlike many other design tools, PhotoCut's AI Pixel Art Generator is online, with no need for software or application downloads to create anything. Therefore, it makes the process amazingly easy and hassle-free, in case you would like to switch between different machines or avoid bothering with complicated installation processes.

The interface is simple and easy to use, so you can upload images or input text prompts easily. The AI works in the background to create your pixel art in seconds, and you can download your creations instantly.

Moreover, PhotoCut provides free credits that let you create a limited number of pixel art images free of charge. You can even earn more credits through their reward system, which makes it an excellent choice for those who are on a tight budget.

Pixel Art Styles You Can Create with PhotoCut

It gives you a versatile range of pixel art from the options with the aid of AI, starting from classic art to very weird and fantastic concepts. Below is a list of some popular ones that can easily be made from this software package:

1. Minecraft Pixel Art

If you like Minecraft, then you will certainly love the idea of generating Minecraft-inspired pixel art with PhotoCut. Whether it is a blocky character or landscape or some object in that signature Minecraft style, PhotoCut's AI generator makes it so easy. You can upload your images or enter text descriptions for the Minecraft-themed art you’d like to create. The tool will transform them into blocky, pixelated designs that resemble the iconic style of the game.

2. Pixel Art Characters and Sprites

PhotoCut will even allow you to develop quite individual pixel art characters and sprites for use in video games, animation, or personal projects. Imagine a program that lets you design your game characters or explore sprite animation. Just upload an image of yourself or a character that you have created, and the AI will make it pixelated for you.

Otherwise, you can give the AI a description of your dream character whether he is a fantasy hero, futuristic robot, or a cute animal, and get an AI-generated pixel art sprite according to your description.

3. Anime Pixel Art

For anime fans, the AI Pixel Art Generator in PhotoCut offers an advanced feature for creating pixel art that's similar to anime. This program will be very helpful if you've always wanted to have your favorite anime characters in pixel format. It lets you make a range of anime sprites, characters, and portraits that may be used for social media accounts, fan projects, and game creation.

4. Pixel Art Portraits and Avatars

A popular use for PhotoCut's generator is creating a pixel art avatar. Maybe you want to achieve a unique avatar for social media, or perhaps you are willing to make a pixel version of yourself to upload to that gaming forum. PhotoCut's pixel art generator can help on such matters too. Upload your photo to be transformed into a pixelated portrait, perfect for any avatar or profile picture.

How to Use PhotoCut’s AI Pixel Art Generator

Getting started with PhotoCut's AI Pixel Art Generator is simple. Here's how to go about it in detail:

Navigate to PhotoCut's website, then find the Pixel Art Generator tool.

There are two choices for you to make. First, you could upload an image you would want to be pixel art or enter a text prompt to let the tool create pixel art based on that description.

Customize aspect ratio, pixel size (8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit), and how many of them you'd like to produce in pixel art.

Click to make your pixel art. AI creates a pixelated version of an image or your description within just seconds.

Then, after creating your masterpiece pixel art, download it directly on your device, or you may share it online on any of your favorite social media websites directly.

Create a cool Instagram profile picture using the best tips and tricks.

Why Choose PhotoCut’s AI Pixel Art Generator?

Here are some compelling reasons why the AI Pixel Art Generator by PhotoCut is considered the best to use for making pixel art:

Fast and High-Quality Generation

PhotoCut generates high-quality pixel art, thanks to deep learning AI, in a few seconds. Either you are transforming an image into pixel art or generating pixel art from text. The process does not take any time and keeps you free from other creative endeavors.

Customizable Options

With PhotoCut, you're in complete control of the style, size, and number of pixel art you want. Make your creations specific to your needs, be it a game sprite, avatar, or complex illustration.

Free and Accessible

PhotoCut provides free credits for starting to make pixel art and can be accessed online without having to download software. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced designer, PhotoCut provides easy and cost-effective ways to create amazing pixel art.

Conclusion

Whether you're a game developer, an artist, or even just someone to have fun drawing pixel art, PhotoCut is the perfect solution for bringing these creations to life. With such an easy user interface, varied options, and fast processing speeds, PhotoCut makes it all so easy and fun for all users to draw some amazing-looking pixelated pieces of art. Get started with PhotoCut AI tools today!

Turn your photos into artwork using PhotoCut’s AI Art Generator.

FAQs

Q1. How can I turn my photo into pixel art?

Ans. Upload your photo in PhotoCut's Pixel Art Generator, and it will do all the processing for converting it into pixel art. Once prepared, you can preview and download your creation.

Q2. What app turns photos into pixel art?

Ans. The app PhotoCut offers the AI Pixel Art Generator to convert photographs into pixel art. It is also easy to use, and there's instant conversion.

Q3. Is there a free AI pixel art maker?

Ans. Yes, PhotoCut offers free credits that allow you to generate up to eight-pixel art images for free. You can also earn more credits through the reward system to make additional creations.

Q4. What is the ideal size of pixel art?

Ans. The ideal size for pixel art depends on the intended use. Common pixel sizes include:

8x8 pixels for small icons.

16x16 pixels for basic sprites.

32x32 pixels for more detailed sprites.

64x64 pixels for larger, more complex sprites.

128x128 pixels and higher for detailed illustrations and backgrounds.

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mn92-finalmajorproject-25 · 3 months ago

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Technical Research - Resources

Pixilart

I've been using this to make pixel art for years now and it's what I fell most comfortable using. There are many alternatives with better features such as AseSprite but Id rather stick to Pixilart for now as its free and I'm more used to it.

youtube

Asesprite

Asesprite is a program to make animated sprites and pixel art. It has a wide range of features that make it ideal for professional pixel art work.

youtube

Photoshop -

Photoshop is a graphics editor typically used for professional digital art. It possesses a surplus of cutting-edge tools that can be accessed and learnt with much ease.

youtube

Adobe Illustrator -

Adobe Illustrator is a graphic design software made ideally for voxel art. It works on most computer systems with a helpful and flexible user interface.

youtube

Magica Voxel

Magica voxel is program made for creating and rendering voxel art. It allows you to create cubic 3d art like in gams such as Minecraft Dungeons. I've previously used magica voxel for a couple of projects and can say its an enjoyable program many cool features.

youtube

Out of all these options I think Ill stick to pixel art t make art for my project. One day in the future I may find myself using asesprite as it is still something I wanna eventually use. I don't really like using photoshop as it isn't very organized for any specific graphics work so it might take too long to get used to. I think I will try to dabble in adobe illustrator a little bit to experiment with voxel art alongside the projects development but only for a small part. I don't see myself using Magica voxel much for this project but it is still a program I enjoy using.

#research

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radar-of-minecraft · 2 years ago

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Minecraft Items Challenge Attempt 2: The Pretty Scary Update Finale

I was looking through random chests to clean up my storage when I happened across an entire stack of note blocks I do not remember making, I do however remember 2 stacks of wood go missing right before I went looking for a Mushroom Island during The Adventure Update, during which I was really tired, so I must have turned them into note blocks, but I haven't the foggiest clue as to why.

I'm using the Alt+f4 duplication glitch to dupe bottles o' enchanting so I don't have to spent 10 years grinding at the slow mob farm, I am making a perfect set of diamond tools that I won't allow to break until mending is added in the Combat Update. I ended up filling nearly 4 chests with enchanted books before I got what I was looking for and put it in my ender chest.

Now I'm deleting the Region data for the Nether so I don't have to deal with awful Alpha Terrain. I actually got really lucky and my new portal is right by a nether fortress.

I made a mostly safe cobblestone path to the fortress, which in hindsight is completely pointless because quartz gets added next update so I'm going to reset my nether again.

I also made my first crafting table :*)

Here is what I will spent the next 4 hours hunting, and here is my weapon.

Here's the first skull, I entirely forgot that they started out as a 2D inventory sprite like cake and beds.

and here is four hours later, I want you to guess which two resources I will never need to look for again

I renovated my portal room, I will barely spend any time here, but now it's a bit more homey.

Here is my canvass to build a wither cage. I shall copy the one from my main world block for block.

Oh. Withers don't spawn like that yet. I need to look up a 1.4 wither cage.

Okay, I used the blockswap glitch to break some of the portal, giving me a free bedrock and the perfect roof for my cage.

Here's the new cage, you have to push the wither into the bedrock to stop it from breaking blocks, just like every wither cage, but before The Bountiful Update, you had to do that with a piston.

I mined some obsidian for beacons and other things we will need later, and then I returned to the Overworld.

I made my first beacon and put the bedrock in my ender chest.

In this post I added the Wither Skeleton Skull, Nether Star, and Beacon, completing the Pretty Scary Update.

I also realized that I never got screenshots with Shaders on since I finished the basic form of my house in 1.3, and it's going to change a lot over the next few updates, so I grabbed some screenshots of a copy of the world that I moved into 1.20

Up next is The Redstone Update, I will not be doing much redstone, if any at all

#minecraft #liveblog #minecraft items challenge #The Pretty Scary Update

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textheslightlymorelimited · 4 months ago

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a: artfight.net

b: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net

c: citizens-initiative.europa.eu

d: de.wikipedia.org (german branch of Wikipedia)

e: en.wikipedia.org

f: Some random Google Form???

g: The Website of the German Green Party

h: hexaria-full-version.fandom.com (they dont have an alternative)

i: My Schools Internal Communication Server

j: Random Onion Article

k: kahoot

l: the Webcomic Laika's Comet

m: The Minecraft Wiki

n: The Ninjago Wiki (I hang a lot around Wikis.)

o: The Webcomic On Borrowed Time

p: The Webcomic Pokemon: Rising Shadows

q: I have no Idea what this one even is.

r: real-o-mat.de (German Tool to help Voters)

s: The PMD Sprite Repository, probably for Zoroark.

t: tumblr.

u: An Article from a German Consumer Protection Agency about sending unwanted Letters back to from whence they came at no cost.

v: The Same as above.

w: tumblr again?

x: Ao3?

y: Yugipedia.

z: Zeit, a German Newspaper.

uhhhhh @sleeepy-sun @martinshep @nemosquirrel @kooldewd123 @theearthmagicguy

game:

share what your first search suggestion is for each letter of the alphabet

ill go first

a: ashes.live (excellent card game's fan site)

b: boardgamegeek.com

c: cobalt.tools (excellent yt downloader)

d: dominion.games (another excellent card game's online client)

e: explainxkcd.com

f: forum.dominionstrategy.com (for dominion again)

g: gradescope.com

h: googling home depot apparently

i: imgur.com

j: jellesmarbleruns.com

k: kickstarter.com

l: lens.google.com

m: mail.google.com

n: noclip.website (specifically the page for Wuhu Island)

o: outlook.office.com/mail

p: piskelapp.com

q: quizlet.com

r: reddit.com

s: smbc-comics.com

t: tumblr.com/dashboard (of course)

u: my university

v: videogamedunkey on youtube

w: wiki.dominionstrategy.com

x: xkcd.com

y: youtube.com

z: googling zillow

not gonna @ everybody but off the top of my head @clangpan @textheslightlymorelimited @backroadtraveler @starfightervicki @cthoseris @bluesofberries

#tag game #some of these are rather odd.#q just sent me to a Page I had no access to.

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mc-sprite-edits · 5 years ago

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Rusty iron tools. Can only be found underwater or dropped from a type of zombie

Terrible durability is a fair price for cool as hell tools

#mse #tools #minecraft #buckle up I got stuck in freshman orientation all day I got SPRITES to impart

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dragondeplatino · 2 years ago

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Designing Pixel Art Textures

Working on a Minecraft texture pack presents some unique challenges, so I thought I'd share some of the problems I've been working through. Minecraft is used as an example here but this advice can apply to pixel art textures in general!

Note that these tips are targeted at Aseprite users, so grab your copy if you want to follow along!

The first big challenge of any texture is ensuring it tiles properly. It's easy to make something that looks great in isolation but shows some ugly patterns once it's tiled. Humans are great at picking up patterns in seemingly random noise so try to evenly spread out areas of high and low brightness!

The best way I've found to fix this is preview as you go! There are two quick methods for this:

Select the entire texture and press Ctrl + B. This will turn your tile in a brush which you can paint in a large area to preview. Make sure Pattern aligned to source is enabled.

Copy the texture and paste it into a new file. Enable View > Tiled Mode > Tiled in Both Axes and you can get a looped preview as you edit the sprite.

Second big problem is getting your contrast wrong. Too high, and your texture can be exhausting to look at when tiled over a large area. Too low, and it can resemble "programmer art" and lose out on a lot of the fun depth that contrast provides. Strike a balance!

Again, two methods for adjusting this:

If your sprite has its own palette, you can go to Sprite > Color Mode > Indexed to convert it to indexed color. Open the lock icon, then click one of the palette's colors. Now drag your color sliders and see the palette update in real time!

Sometimes your sprite is already in a large sheet or you don't have a palette for it. First, create a selection around your tile. Select your fill tool, and make sure Contiguous is unchecked and Tolerance is 0. Any fills you do will update that color throughout the tile!

This one falls more under opinion than fact, but plan around textures being visible up close. Lots of anti-aliasing looks great from a distance, but can make forms look muddy when it's pulled right up to the camera. Unlike 2D games, the player has the power to blow up your pixel art to half their monitor's resolution so keep that in mind!

Well that's all for this post! Let me know if there's anything else you'd like me to go over on this topic!

#aseprite #pixel art #minecraft #tutorial #art tutorial #lowpoly

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ceramic-galanter · 4 years ago

Photo

minecraft axes and spades. I tried to restrict the axe designs to be single sided to match the sprite a bit more

i’m enjoying making the gold tools as useless as possible

swords, pickaxes + hoes

#minecraft #design #axe #shovel #spade #wood #stone #iron #gold #diamond #netherite #digital art #my art

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zero00o0 · 3 years ago

Text

Quiet

CW: mcyt g/t, fearplay, horror elements

// Hi! This is a new blog of mine (haven’t been on tumblr in years 💀). I’ve been stalking the mcyt g/t tag for awhile and noticed the tag was kinda dying so I’m making an appearance to fan the flames lol. I hope y’all like this story! Feel free to send asks and whatever lol //

The torch in his hand flickered, the flames dancing on the end of the stick as George gingerly made his way through the cavern he’d found himself lost in. He wasn’t planning on even going into any caves today, the original plan being to find some food to stock up on. But while he was wandering in search of animals, the sight of exposed iron tempted him. One thing led to another, and now the brit was lost. A single torch, some wooden tools, and a single piece of chicken to his name.

The sound of guttural groaning startled him, causing him to whip around and pull out his sword, putting away his torch as a result. When he realized that he covered himself in thick darkness, he scrambled to get out his torch once more. His hands shook fearfully as he looked around for his light source, and his attention was taken away from the horrible, inhuman sounds getting closer, and closer. By the time George found his torch, a green, decaying face appeared with the newfound light and charged at him. It’s dead hands grabbed at him, damaging him instantly. George screamed and tried to back up, but failed to realize that there was no passage to safety behind him, but a long drop down into the heart of the cave, right into a burning pool of lava. Before he could realize this, he lost his balance. George was falling, falling, falling… And as his body finally hit the scorching, agonizing heat of the earth’s hottest liquid, he let out one last scream of plea;

“NOOOO!”

George threw his headset across the room as the “You Died” screen appeared on his computer. He grinded his teeth in annoyance as he tossed his head back and facepalmed. That was his fifth attempt at playing Minecraft Hardcore mode today. The british gamer was determined to keep a world running until he could beat the game, but at this rate it seemed that personal challenge would take him weeks.

As he leaned forward to grab his bottle of water, he could hear footsteps sounding from down the hall. A moment later there was a knock on his door. “George? Dude? Are you good in there?”

George rolled his eyes as he stood from his chair, stretching his arms as he walked to the door to let the familiar voice inside. “Yes, Sapnap. I’m fine. Just annoyed at this stupid game.” He huffed as he met his roommate’s gaze. The American who lived with him scrunched up his face as he pushed past George to enter his room. “Uuh.. ok. Yeah, come on in I guess.” He said sarcastically, stifling an annoyed groan.

Sapnap ignored George as he walked up to the Brit’s desk, his hands on his hips as he looked around at the cluttered, trash filled space. George leaned on his wall by the door, waiting on Sapnap to turn around so he could get the hint that he didn’t want him in his room right now. But the man just shook his head as he dared to pick up a crushed can of Sprite. “How long have you been in here?” Sapnap asked, revulsion dripping from his words. George just scoffed. “Why?” He asked. Sapnap turned around to finally face him.

“Dude, me and Karl moved in with you because we thought it’d be cool to, like, hangout all the time. But as soon as that first week was up it’s like we only see you max twice a week.” George crossed his arms over his chest as he looked away from Sapnap. “What is this? Some intervention?” Sapnap shrugged as he tossed the can into the trash. “Maybe… It’s just.. There’s nothing wrong with liking games, I like them too but… you really need to take a break from your computer.”

George looked at him again. Sapnap also crossed his arms over his chest as the two stood at a standstill. Sapnap was waiting on George to say something, while George was waiting on Sapnap to leave him alone. But alas, Sapnap was a stronger man than him.

George sighed, dropping his arms to his sides. “Ok, fine. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m a little chronically online… whatever. But what else is there to do? It’s autumn, and cold, and the fun things are closed.” Sapnap raised an eyebrow and smiled. George didn’t like when he smiled like that. “What if,” Sapnap crowed, “I told you there was?”

…

“A cabin. In the middle of nowhere. In Ohio. THIS IS YOUR IDEA OF SOMETHING FUN TO DO?!?!”

George threw his hands up over his head as Sapnap loaded the last bag into the car. The American laughed as the taller American, Karl, put a comforting hand on George’s back. “Awww come on, George! It’ll be just like camping! But with electricity, and we won’t have to sleep in a tent! And there’s plumbing!” He exclaimed, his face lit up with excitement that even George couldn’t stay mad at. But he could be annoyed with it. The brit crossed his arms as he glared at Sapnap, who was playing with the car keys. The brunette laughed as he shrugged. “Come on, George. It’s only for a week.” He chuckled.

George looked back at their Floridan home with sadness, but Karl’s stupid smile and tight half-hug ultimately had George groaning and walking towards Sapnap’s car. “Fine. But I’m riding shotgun.” He declared. “Nope! Already called it!” Karl giggled as he ran ahead of George and tussled with him for the front seat.

Whatever. Maybe Sapnap and Karl were right. Maybe this little no-internet getaway will be fun.

…

Even after about 14 and a half hours, George couldn’t say he was having the time of his life. Save for a few fun singing moments, pit stops, and funny stories between the men, the road trip was very long, and very tiring. Maybe it was a good thing that George sat in the back for most of the trip, because Karl got so carsick that they had to pull over on a busy highway so he could throw up. Twice.

George was napping in the backseat when he felt the car come to a stop. This wouldn’t normally make him stir, but the sound of a car door opening definitely peaked his interest enough for him to open an eye. “Wake up, George. We’re at the check-in.” Karl reached back and shook George’s shoulder gently. The Brit yawned and sat up, shrugging Karl’s hand off of him. ”Do we have to go in?” He groaned, rubbing his eyes. “Well you don’t have to, but I have to pee.” He snickered. George, not wanting to sit alone in the car, followed Karl into the old, antique-looking check-in cabin. As George looked around the outside, he realized just how isolated this place was. The trees were huge, nearly comically so. The branches and leaves were wild and thick, blocking a lot of the setting sun’s light from getting through. He was half asleep while Sapnap and Karl were talking earlier, but he’s pretty sure he heard Sapnap mention the nearest general store was a half hour drive away from their cabin.

The bell above the door let out a ring as Karl and George entered the room. It was smaller than what he expected. The lighting was dim. It didn’t help that all the windows were shut with the curtains pulled tight. There was a rack with magazines and pamphlets on one side of the room, with some seating on the other. The check-in desk was right in the middle. An elderly lady sat behind it, talking with Sapnap. She couldn’t have been younger than 70. “Hi, ma’am,” Karl began, “I was just looking for-“

“For the bathroom?” She sent him a knowing smile. “You wan’ go down that hall, second door on th’ left. I ain’t cleaned it since last week, so I hope you ain’t no germaphobe.” Karl smiled at her, nodding a thanks before heading down the hall. She turned back to Sapnap and handed him a key. “As I was sayin’, This opens th’ front door, back door, and top floor porch. Y’all got the best cabin I can offer ya. I only hope it suits y’all tropical boys nicely.” Sapnap laughed as he jingled the keys in his hand. “Thank you! I’m sure it will.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a wad of money. Rich bastard. “This should be what I owe you.” The lady reached forward and counted the cash with boney fingers. She hummed after a moment and looked up at Sapnap. “You’re off by twenty.” She said. Sapnap frowned and counted the cash on the counter. Cursing under his breath, he excused himself to look for more in the car. The bell above the door ringed as he jogged to the car.

George, not wanting to initiate conversation, turned to the pamphlets and pretended to browse. A still silence filled the room for a few long moments. “Have you ever been campin’?” The lady’s voice suddenly sounded, mildly startling George. He didn’t turn to her as he replied, “No, I haven’t.” He could hear her shift in her chair. “I could tell.” The southern drawl in her voice was both comforting and odd. George stayed quiet.

Suddenly it was as if a large gust of wind came out of no where, and caused the trees from outside to shift. The sound of branches scraping against each other and leaves rustling was a loud juxtaposition to the calm quietness a mere moment before. It wouldn’t have been strange, if it weren’t for the fact that George couldn’t hear any wind. Just rustling. George turned his head to a closed window and narrowed his eyes. He waited for it to stop but it didn’t. It sounded like it was getting closer, if anything. A weird, sudden wave of overwhelming curiosity came over the brit as he walked closer to the window. The rustling got louder. George reached out to move the curtain, when a cold hand suddenly seized his wrist, and with shocking strength, held him back.

“Don’t.” The lady whispered. When George dared to look at her face he was met with eyes full of terror. The rustling from outside stopped. Her hand shook as she held onto George, her grip never loosening, as if she was holding him for comfort. After a stunned second George pulled his arm away and stood back. “What the heck is wrong with you?” He let out, surprised at his own confrontational tone. The lady just shushed him as she inched closer to the window. “It heard you arrive.”

George felt his heart sink in an impending doom type of feeling. “What are you talking about?” What could be big enough to make those noises? Bears? He didn’t think there were bears in Ohio. And even if there were, would it be such a scary event of one appearing, that the lady who lived here would react in such a way?

Her eyes remained glued to George as the two stood in uncomfortable silence. After a minute, she let out a breath. She must’ve been holding it. When George sighed, he realized he’d been as well.

“It wants me to open th’ curtains.” She stuttered, walking back behind the counter. “It wants to see you.” George’s mouth was open in a silent shock. “Listen to me, boy. No matter how loud the trees talk, no matter how much you feel watched, no matter what you see, you can never, ever go out there alone. Never. Those who go into the woods alone don’t never ever come back home the same. Do you understand me, boy?”

“I-“ George’s voice faltered. “I SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, BOY?!” She shouted.

Suddenly, a door opened from down the hall, and Karl walked out. His face was pale, and if George knew Karl, then Karl had definitely been in there puking the whole time. Thanks a lot Karl. The taller man looked at the lady with confusion as he put himself between her and George. A bell ringing caused George to whip his head around to look at the opening door. Deep down he wanted to shout “Close the door!” But, not wanting to seem crazy, he bit his tongue. Sapnap paused at the door, a wad of five dollar bills in his hand as he looked at the scene before him.

“Uhh..I found twenty dollars..”

“Ok… you’re gonna have to start over. What about trees talking, now?”

George frowned at the back of Sapnap’s head as he growled in frustration. “How many times do I have to explain, guys?! The trees started rustling, so I went to open the window and she went crazy! She said there’s was something out there and it wanted to watch us.” His voice was strained as he tried to explain the best he could, but honestly he was still shaken up from the experience. Despite that, here they were, back in the car and driving towards the cabin.

Sapnap shot Karl a look of worry, but the other just looked back at George with sympathy. “Dude she was… old. She’s just some crazy old lady living alone in the woods. There probably wasn’t even any rustling! I didn’t hear-“ George cut him off. “No, no. You can say she’s crazy all you want but I heard the rustling, and I’m not crazy.” He looked at Sapnap once more. “You were literally outside, Sapnap. Tell me you heard it!” Karl looked at Sapnap now, and the driver seemed to zone out in thought for a moment, before shaking his head and replying, “I heard the wind making the leaves shake, George.” To that George fell back in the seat and stared at the top of the car. “George.. dont let some crazy old woman get you superstitious. We’re here to have fun, remember?” Karl looked back at George, waiting for a reply. “Ok. Yeah.” George muttered, clearing his throat. “You guys are probably right.” He sat up again and Karl smiled at him. The boy turned back around and began playing with the radio as he and Sapnap argued over what station to play.

George looked out the window and tuned them out with his own thoughts. He was being too paranoid. That lady lived alone for probably years, in the middle of what could’ve been the creepiest woods in the country. Of course she was out of her mind. Who wouldn’t be? He shouldn’t dwell on it.

But as the car began to lose its connection to the radio, and the silence of the woods began to pour into the car, and what little light there was left of the sunset faded.. George couldn’t help but think about what she said. The woman never said the thing…whatever it was…wasn’t trying to see them…

But that it was trying to see him.

…

“Holy moly! Would you look at the size of that!” Karl beamed as he shoved his head out of the window. George leaned up to look at the cabin through the front window as Sapnap rolled up into the driveway. “I told you guys I got us the best of the best.” Sapnap said, pride swelling in his tone. “Don’t get too cocky, we haven’t even seen the inside.” George said. But he had to admit that it was nice. It was a two-story wooden cabin with beautifully elegant architecture. The bright lights already on from inside the building was a comforting sight, especially since it got dark fast. Sapnap just scoffed playfully as he put the car in park and got out.

They grabbed what bags they could carry and headed inside. Sapnap unlocked the door and led them inside. George gasped and Karl all but screamed. Inside was the largest living room ever with the nicest, renovated kitchen George had seen in awhile, all underneath a beautiful glass skylight, that allowed them to see not only the second floor, but the sky as well. He didn’t expect something this nice to be in a place like this, owned by a woman like that. He could see doors that led to different rooms as well as a staircase that led upstairs to what apparently was the game room. Sapnap’s been talking about playing pool since they started this vacation.

“Alright. How about we get the rest of our bags in and head to bed? It’s late.” Karl suggested, wiping a bead of sweat off of his forehead, mumbling briefly about the heat as he dropped his bags where he stood. The other two agreed and dropped their bags as well, heading back to the car to get the rest of their things.

As they walked back to the car, George took a moment to look out into the dark surroundings. He’d never lived anywhere remote before. His whole life, even back in England, he’d lived in the city. The lights never went dark there, and he liked that. It beat going outside at night to take out the trash and not being able to see anything around you.

As he stared into the seemingly endless blackness, he couldn’t stop his mind from thinking back to the old lady. He wanted to believe she was crazy and move on, he really did, but she just seemed so… scared. All of her windows were shut and covered. Not just one, but all of them. As creepy as the woods were, they were also pleasant to look at in the day. Why would she, someone who chose to live in them, cover all the ways of seeing them unless she was truly terrified of something out there. Something watching her. George’s eyes were looking around. He felt like he didn’t have control over his wandering gaze as he scanned the edge of the trees.

He was about to turn his head away when he saw a heap of shadows rapidly retreat into the trees.

George froze. His heart stopped in his chest and his breath hitched. He fixed on the spot where the darkness was and the trees began, his eyes stuck open, fearful that if they were to close that he’d miss something. He stared at the spot with alarming stillness. What was that? Whatever it was, it was big enough to even overshadow the large trees. George gulped as he could faintly hear something. Shifting. Rustling. Like the wind was lightly blowing the branches once more, but George felt no gusts of air hit his sweaty skin. And yet…

“George! Dude! Come on, there’s only a few more bags in there.” The sound of Sapnap’s voice forced George out of his trance, and he dared to turn his head away from the trees to look at him. Sapnap gave George a questioning gaze. George glanced back at the trees momentarily. Nothing. Not even a sound. He turned back and cleared his throat. “Never been in the woods before.” He said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “It’s weird out here.” He said, forcing a smile. Sapnap and Karl already thought he was freaking out, he didn’t need to make them think it was worse. “Well you can daydream all you want after you get the last bags.” Sapnap walked back inside the cabin, following Karl. George heaved a sigh as he buried his face in his palms. He had to get himself together. He was getting too paranoid. She was just a crazy old lady.

There was nothing out there.

…

“Dude! Ow, don’t splash me! That water is hot, what the heck is wrong with you?!” Karl complained as he ducked for cover behind a chair as George and Sapnap laughed, trying to splash the boy with the water from the hot tub. They did invite Karl to get in, but the boy refused, opting to just sit outside and talk with them instead. He claimed it was already warm outside, but the other two called him crazy since it was literally 50°F.

It’s been three days since they arrived at the cabin. And honestly, it has been some of the best fun George has had in awhile. Despite George’s hesitance, they went out and explored the woods the first day. It was so beautiful, that not even George’s paranoia kept him from enjoying himself. And not to mention that they didn’t hear or see anything, and no rustling happened without the wind’s help. The forest was quiet, and tranquil, not even the sounds of birds or other rodents could be heard. The second day they all played pool, which George lost pitifully at. He felt annoyed, but it was all in good fun. They even made chicken (that they brought from home). It was honestly delicious, and at that point George wasn’t even thinking about the occurrence at the check-in cabin. And now here they were, the night of the third day, having the time of their lives on the second floor porch. No rustling, or scary wilderness noises to be heard. Just the comforting laughter of his best friends. George honestly felt embarrassed that he was so worked up the other day. A monster in the woods! How stupid.

“Well, what’d I tell you, George? I told you that we’d have fun!” Sapnap gloated, sitting back in the hot tub, relaxing. George rolled his eyes endearingly. “Fine, okay, you were right. I really needed to get out of my room. Thanks, Sap.” Sapnap over-exaggeratingly placed a hand on his heart and open his mouth in shock. He could hear Karl laughing softly as well. “George? Giving me a compliment? Maybe this place is haunted by the scary woods monster!” George replied by splashing him right in the face. Sapnap laughed as he spit out the water that’d gotten into his mouth.

“How are you guys still in there? It’s so hot out..” George and Sapnap looked over to Karl. He was sitting on one of the stools and was facing the two men in the hot tub. He was wearing a muscle shirt and basketball shorts. And even though the wind wasn’t blowing tonight, it was still freezing. George was about to reply with a snarky response, when Sapnap spoke over him. “Karl? Are you ok?” George glanced at Sapnap before looking back at Karl. Now that he actually took a moment to study his face.. he could tell something was wrong.

Karl’s face was red. And not just a normal red, but red red. Scarlet red. His eyes were drooping, not like he was tired but like he was forcing himself to stay conscious. He was slouching. He looked like he was on the brink of death. “I’m fine, just a little hot.” He said meagerly. At this, Sapnap hopped out of the tub and went to his side, an arm wrapped around him as he felt the boy’s forehead. “Jesus Karl! You’re scorching hot!” He exclaimed. Sapnap moved Karl from the chair, the boy only letting a weak groan of protest but not being able to resist much more by the looks of it. George was out of the tub by then, a towel around his green trunks as he hovered nearby. “George, go get my car keys. I’m taking him to the hospital.” Sapnap ordered. He didn’t have to tell George twice, the Brit was flying down the stairs and to the bar where the car keys were, running outside and starting the car.

Sapnap and Karl walked outside not a minute later, Karl using Sapnap as a support as he walked with shaky knees. As he watched them walk towards the car, he realized that the boy had probably been sick since the start of their trip, and just blamed it on car sickness. George felt a twinge of guilt for not noticing his friend’s true condition.

Sapnap and George helped Karl into the backseat and Sapnap went to get in the driver’s side. As George opened the passenger door, Sapnap stopped him. “No, George. You stay here. We’ll be back before morning.” The Brit froze at his friend’s words. He stared at him dumbfoundedly before shaking his head. “What? No! I’m not staying here alone!” Sapnap’s expression was now that of agitation. “For Christ’s sake, George. I think Karl being a million degrees and nauseous is a little more important than you’re stupid paranoia.” George flinched, and Sapnap’s face softened slightly. “We can’t leave our shit alone out here. Our credit cards are in there and our phones are in there, not to mention our clothes. The hospital is, like, an hour away. We’ll be back by the morning.” His tone was full of reassurance, but was still on edge. George opened his mouth to fire back, but the sound of Karl puking in the back seat shut him up. He shut the passenger door and stood back from the car, his arms crossing over his exposed chest as Sapnap started the car and drove off, leaving George alone.

…

The most logical thing to do is sleep until morning. He’ll wake up to the sound of Sapnap’s car pulling into the driveway, and be greeted by him and a better-looking Karl and he’ll laugh at how scared he was to be alone in the cabin.

And yet, here he lay, three hours later, wide awake.

He took a shower, put on his favorite grey sweatpants and his best blue sweatshirt, and immediately scurried to get into bed. He thought as long as the hall light was on, the doors were locked, and his window curtains were drawn, he’d be able to fall gracefully into sleep. Boy, was he wrong.

George turned over on his side, the blanket hugged tightly in his arms, eyes wide open. All three men had their own room, and they slept alone every night, so it wasn’t like sleeping alone was the thing scaring George. He was scared because if he heard something or, God forbid, saw something, there’d be nobody around for him to run to. The closest person to him was the old lady, and the check-in cabin was at least a 45 minute walk, and anything further than that being more than a two hour walk. He inhaled a shaky breath as his heart pounded in his chest. He was hyper focused on listening to anything that sounded from the outdoors. Thankfully, he could hear nothing.

Eventually George decided to sit up in the bed. He leaned over to the night stand and opened the drawer, looking for a book or magazine to keep him occupied. A disappointed look appeared on his face when all he was met with was a dust ball.

The Brit was going to try and go to sleep again, but thirst nagged at his dry mouth. He usually got water before bed, but tonight he was just too distracted.

As he stood up and walked to his bedroom door, he felt his body hesitate to go any further. The curtains in his room were shut, but the rest of the house had their windows wide open and ready to be looked into by any terrifying monster. He again thought of the old lady. All of her windows were blocked off, and she grew frantic at the idea of opening them, even an inch. George’s breath was shaky as he peered out of his door. It led straight to the kitchen so at least he didn’t have to make a scary walk down a dark hallway. He glanced at all the windows in the big room, and was relieved to see no inhuman monstrosities looking back.

Gingerly, George walked out into the kitchen and began looking for the cabinet with the cups. He checked all the windows again before he found a mug and walked over to the sink. He turned on the water and watched his mug fill up.

It was quiet.

The woods should be full of crickets, toads, and other activity but… it was quiet. Like mother nature was holding her breath. The only sound was the faucet running. George felt weird. Like, he was doing something wrong. Or was somewhere wrong. It was uncanny. And now that he thought of it, it felt this way in the woods the other day. Maybe he was subconsciously distracting himself with banter among his friends, but deep down…he knew something was wrong. The woods were quiet. Not in a peaceful way, but in a wrong way. Yesterday they stayed inside, but what George thought was the feeling of agitation from losing pool over and over, was starting to feel like how he felt now. Yeah, he was annoyed. But he was also ever so slightly keep his eye on the large, open windows surrounding them on every side. It was hard to describe what he was feeling. He could beat out it as something primal in him trying to take over his mind and make him run and hide in a little hole.

He realized his cup was overflowed and turned off the sink, drinking the water down as he leaned against the counter.

George’s brows furrowed. It didn’t make sense. He shouldn’t be so worked up, he shouldn’t have cold chills running down his arms and spine. He shouldn’t be working up a cold sweat, his heart shouldn’t be beating this fast, he had no reason to be scared. She was a crazy old woman. George wasn’t superstitious, he didn’t even believe in ghosts. Why, why was he so worked up? It’s like everywhere he went, something was watching him. But how? He checked every single window. The ones by the front door, the ones beside him, the grand ones to behind him. He checked every single window! There was no way, he was being watched.

George took a drink, and froze, the mug sitting by his lips. His heart stopped, his chills went still on his body, and his mind went numb.

He checked every single window, except one.

George’s body shook with anxiety. That primal feeling of raw fear filled his veins as he tilted his chin up.

The ceiling skylight.

He looked up to the glass ceiling and felt his entire existence shatter. He couldn’t conjure a though, no less a scream.

Looking back at him were two glowing green eyes, empty of light, empty of human emotion, focused on nothing but him, completely centered on every micro movement George was making. He shuddered as the thing seemed to perk up at George finally seeing it, as if it were saying, “Finally, what took you so long?”

Either it was too dark to see the rest of its features, or he didn’t look long enough, but the two green eyes was all he needed to see to get the hell out of that room.

Finally, after days, George let himself scream. He screamed with all his being, screamed so loud that he felt his vocal chords shake. He sprinted as fast as he could back to his room and slammed the door behind him. He heard the monster make a sound, it sounds like a bear growling, as he could literally feel the house shift under its weight, like it was trying to find George from the skylight.

The Brit was hyperventilating, he went for his phone but it had no service. He cursed loudly as he threw it on the bed.

Suddenly he could hear what he feared most, glass shattering. He heard it shatter and fall on the ground, and now he could hear the monster more clearly. It was animalistic sounds like he’d never heard of. Weird growling that he could only affiliate to a large bear or lion, but much deeper, much more evil.

George backed himself against the farthest wall as his body shook, literally shook, with panic. Rummaging could be heard from the other room, and George felt like being sick when he realized that it could only be the monster reaching it’s hand inside to feel around for him.

George looked around his room, trying to come up with a plan. He couldn’t hide in here, it could tear down the wall and grab him and he’d be dead.

His eyes flicked over to the largest window he had. He could run. He walked over to it and opened the curtains, peering out at the eerie darkness with a pit in his chest. It would expect him to stay in the house. If he ran, it wouldn’t expect it.

George opened the window but paused before he jumped out. He looked back at the bed and grabbed his phone, turning on the flashlight. He stared out the window once more, beginning to rethink his spontaneous idea before he heard a loud thump hit against his door, and the monster make a horrible sound of knowing.

He didn’t give it a chance to tear down his wall before jumping out of the window and sprinting full force into the thick dark. Alone.

…

It was 4 am. The slightest hints of light were beginning to show, and George hadn’t slept a wink. Ever since he jumped out of the window, he’d been on the move. He stayed in the general vicinity of the woods edge, because the last thing he wanted was to get lost in the monster’s territory. He was exhausted,. Physically, mentally, emotionally, instinctively. He wanted to pass out, to let sleep take over, to rest. But he couldn’t.

A few hours ago he dared to look back at the cabin to find that the monster wasn’t leaning over it anymore. And ever since then, George had been making sure to never keep looking in one direction for too long.

Part of him wanted it to turn out that he was crazy, that he hallucinated the whole thing. Because ever since he jumped out of the window, he hadn’t seen it at all. Surely it would’ve been chasing him by now? If it wasn’t, then was it real at all?

But then the silence filled his ears, and that was enough to reassure him that he wasn’t alone.

It was looking for him.

George decided to stay put at the forest edge behind the cabin, where he could see the driveway incase Sapnap decided to make an appearance. He was tired, and was hyper focusing on the sounds around him.

If he just would’ve came out of his room, if he just spent more time with his friends, none of this would’ve happened. Sapnap wouldn’t have done this to try and make George socialize. Was this his punishment for being a bad friend? Was this the price to pay for being an ungrateful prick? George couldn’t help but curl up into himself. Sapnap and Karl won’t be back for hours. They won’t be back until it’s too late, and they’ll come inside and see what happened and think he went crazy. Sapnap will blame himself and Karl will too. Why did it have to turn out this way? Why him? Why?

A car could be heard in the distance.

George lifted his head from his knees and looked bewildered at the driveway. A familiar black car pulled into the long driveway, a comforting yellow light coming off of the headlights. They were home. They were home! He did it! He beat the fucking monster!

George stood, his body shaking as he balanced his exhausted body on the trees beside him. He opened his mouth to yell, but he was cut off.

The trees behind him rustled.

And the air was still.

George had his phone in his hands, and as he turned around he shined the flashlight up, and up, and up….

And two lifeless, inhuman, green eyes met the shine of his light.

George stumbled back, falling over. But what he didn’t know was that the space behind him wasn’t a safe field of open yard, but the hand of the monster, sitting in wait for George to fall right into it.

George gasped and violently writhed as fingers quickly wrapped around his form, he whined in fear as he tried with what little energy he had left to squeeze out of the cold hands that had him trapped.

And as the monster stood up, George let out one last scream of plea;

“NOOOOO!”

——————

part two? maybe 👀

#mcyt g/t #g/t #g/t au #giant/tiny #g/t author #g/t community #g/t writing #tiny!george #giant!dream #fear play #horror elements #quiet mcyt g/t

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lalala-hyuponia · 2 years ago

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My minecraft resource pack, Enchantment Sprites!

This resource pack, basically, with the power of Optifine (recently also added support for Chime thanks to a friend), changes the texture of the tools depending on the enchantments they have!

With this, you can pretty much immediately see what enchantments the tools have in your chest! The visual change is also visible for other players in a multiplayer server, maybe it'll be fun to see what your friends use!?

Check it out at Curseforge or Planet Minecraft!

#minecraft #minecraft resource pack #optifine

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orcboxer · 3 years ago

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Minecraft shit

I have bad eyesight but I like minecraft so I made my own item sprites (64x64) for my tools that are easier for me to distinguish at a glance. I also color coded them after the Deep Dark biome because I love high saturation bluegreen on black. You can also think of it as men's deodorant themed, if that does anything for you? lmao

Anyway enjoy my first attempt at pixel art! Bonus hammer because I wanted to try replacing the pickaxe, just cuz.

#orcspeak #skipcraft #minecraft

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iamvoid0 · 3 years ago

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Why is Pokemon Legends: Arceus important to Nintendo?

This article was originally published on Void0Media’s official blog here.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the biggest shake-up in the Pokémon formula in twenty-six years. No doubt, the success of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has forced GameFreak, Nintendo’s other posterchild, to act. Pokémon Legends: Arceus completely rewrites everything we have learned about the Pokémon games while keeping what worked from the previous titles. The question remains: Why is Pokémon Legends: Arceus important to Nintendo & Pokemon?

We will examine this from both in-game and the natural world to understand why it has resonated so strongly — both positively and negatively — with its audience.

If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

A phrase that seemed to be the prevailing motto of GameFreak and Nintendo. For the past twenty-six years, Pokémon has been the same formula with new layers of paint every couple of years. During this time, Pokémon has had its share of hits and misses. The jump to 3D saw the 2D sprites lose their charm. GameFreak reduced the scope of the games, and the decision to have a limited range of Pokémon in the games was controversial to many.

However, despite this, the games continued to sell. GameFreak’s reputation of making a fun, polished game loop would be noteworthy — even if the package around that core game loop is not always polished itself. The developers at GameFreak are brilliant game designers. Picking up older games and playing them today shows how much care and attention went into it. Even as programmers, the technical achievement of Pokémon Red/Blue/Green/Yellow for its time was incredible and worthy of praise.

This brings us to today. Pokémon Red and Blue were released in 1996 — twenty-six years ago. The landscape of video gaming has changed immensely, far more than most people envisioned all those years ago. Despite this, GameFreak continues to give us the same, though at times genuinely fun, game loop as they did before. GameFreak, and Nintendo, was incentivized to continue giving us the same experience as they did in 1996, but why?

Children.

Gamers forgot they were once children.

Pokémon is and always was, targeted towards children and teenagers. Most gamers seem to forget that their first exposure to Pokémon was through the movie that every one cried for, Pokémon: The First Movie, or through the cartoon/anime Pokémon the Series. Most of us played our first Pokémon Game when we were children, as did most fans throughout the years. The fans came after us because their first exposure to Pokémon was the refined game loop that made us fans all those years ago.

Some parents bought Sword and Shield for their children. Is it the best Pokémon Game? Not mainly, but these children love the tv show. They love how they interact with Pikachu or Eevee in Let’s Go or even with the Pokémon in the camp in Sword and Shield. They love watching Pokémon jump out at them in Pokémon Snap.

We can be as critical as we want. However, Nintendo and GameFreak know what they must do to keep Pokémon going into the Next Generation. As mentioned before, people who grew up with Pokémon are giving their children Switches and Pokémon Games, even if we do not think it is the best game.

Does this mean that Nintendo and GameFreak get a free pass to do the same thing repeatedly?

How the mighty have fallen.

The gaming landscape today now bleeds into the tens and hundreds of billions. The onslaught of the pandemic saw the gaming space become the prime cultural field before losing it to TikTok. Among Us, Minecraft, Roblox, and the like have become cultural juggernauts, unlike anything before it. Discord became the primary communication tool for gamers of all ages. Technological progress was turned up to 11 in the gaming space as every company tried to profit in any way they could.

Corporations such as Microsoft and Disney have staked their claim. The game industry has exploded in growth with no signs of slowing down.

Where does that leave the Triple-A, multi-billion dollar, hundred-year-old gaming company? In a spot they have never been in before.

Too big to fail.

The Pokémon Company — which GameFreak, Creatures Inc, and Nintendo jointly own — is a titan.

Pokémon is so ubiquitous worldwide that it is hard even to think it could fade into obscurity. After all, Pokémon is the highest-grossing media franchise in the world. Despite this, its video game division has brought in less than a quarter. However, it is ~24% of the franchise’s USD 110 billion revenue since its inception in 1996. It was a staggering USD 27 billion, but nothing compared to its gargantuan merchandising revenue of USD 88 billion. The video game division certainly has done better than its Box office revenue of only USD 1 billion and home entertainment of USD 148 million.

Numbers do not lie, and it is clear that Pokémon’s video games are the main driving factor. The tv shows are glorified advertisements for the games and the merchandise.

With the changing landscape of video games, Nintendo — and Pokémon — have found themselves in a tough spot.

When Pokémon first burst out onto the scene back in 1996, no other game had that level of content, particularly in a handheld system. Though other games were more visually appealing, that did not matter because none had the sheer amount of content. The game boasted a hundred and fifty-one monsters, each with their stats, each with their own independent move sets, creating multiple teams from any 151 characters, with a surprisingly large world and a considerable number of quests, all on a handheld. Most RPGs, at the time, did not have something like that at that scale.

When Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1983, they effectively saved the games industry, in the US, after the video game crash of ’83. Nintendo was untouchable for years after that. Even when Nintendo seemed to falter, they eventually got back on track. They built a legacy and staying power that is beyond enviable.

It is not 1983, though, and it is not 1996 either.

The eyes see, the hands do

The Nintendo Switch launched with what many now consider Nintendo’s ace up their sleeve, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The developers meticulously designed and crafted a stunning demonstration of what was capable on the Switch’s hardware. The game still holds secrets almost five years later. The game was a resounding success, and it was an instant hit with both fans and non-fans alike for The Legend of Zelda. In the eyes of many, it is a must-buy when picking up a Nintendo Switch.

The game ushered in a new era of copy-cats, from Ubisoft’s Immortals Fenyx Rising to, most notably, MiHoYo’s Genshin Impact.

This open-world concept on the Switch only served to remind long-time Pokémon fans of what they have always wanted.

Then came Sword and Shield, with the Wild Area. In this semi-open world instance, Pokémon roam around before interacting with them.

The fandom now divided, many praised GameFreak for trying something new. However, many criticized the game, as it felt inferior to what they could have gotten and what GameFreak had made prior. The graphics were also a sore point during Sword and Shield’s release as the expectation for a console-class Pokémon game was high. It certainly did not help that the game’s animation was simplistic and lacking from previous games. The topic of a reduced Pokédex reared its head in popular discourse. However, it would eventually make its way back into the game as DLCs, another sore spot for long-time fans.

Nintendo’s disastrous Wii U launch had placed the company on a potential downward spiral. A failure on every front. Everything was riding on the release of the Nintendo Switch, had it failed to meet expectations, it would have spelled the end of Nintendo in the console space. It was not.

The rise of the Switch saw renewed interest in the handheld space. The recent innovations in laptop CPUs and GPUs saw many companies trying their hands at similar hardware. Among these was Valves Steam Deck. However, Valve was the least of Nintendo’s problems.

The Switch initially came to market in the middle of a console refresh. It ended up releasing alongside the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One refresh. Now the Switch is competing with the 4K-possible Xbox Series X and PS5. The Switch’s graphics and hardware performance were already considered weak by PS4 and Xbox One standards, and now the gap has widened.

The recent trend of larger companies buying game studios, such as Sony and Microsoft, meant that these companies would no longer be third-party developers for the Switch. While some companies claim they would continue to support the Switch, in practice, it eventually returns to the parent companies’ platform cough Microsoft Store cough.

Things have only gotten worse as larger companies with much different interests buy out smaller game studios.

While this is business and most businesses — like Nintendo — are out to make money, Nintendo should be rightfully concerned.

All together now

For at least a decade, fans have been clamoring for an open-world Pokémon game. While many would have liked more polish on Pokémon Legends: Arceus, it is an excellent direction for the long-time fans to return to the franchise.

The fans who have been here since day one who watched Nintendo and The Pokémon Company released what many consider a bad visual experience has been the nail in the coffin. Cementing that Nintendo and GameFreak are milking their fans for all they are worth.

The shake-up from a gameplay standpoint has made Pokémon Legends: Arceus a unique experience unmatched by anything that came before it. It is sure to spawn copy-cats much as the original Pokémon did.

Over the years, many fans attempted to bring Pokémon to life in a 3D space. These projects could not get any real footing as Nintendo often sent “cease and desist orders.” Dealing with Nintendo’s lawyers caused many fans to sour and thus caused these persons to be far more critical of Nintendo and the Pokémon Company.

The “Monster Catching/Pokémon-inspired” genre has fresh blood from the very developers who helped bring it to the mainstream.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is important because Nintendo saw what The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did for the Switch. After this success, it would have put pressure on GameFreak to try something new, and we saw with Sword & Shield that they dipped their toes in that open world that was requested so heavily.

Nintendo (+ The Pokémon Company) would have been content with almost 20 million in sales for a mainline game. With the increased competition in both hardware and software from new and seasoned developers across the globe, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company knew it was finally time to start taking chances. Nintendo now has more ammunition for exclusive to the Switch. Breath of the Wild — a brilliant launch title that will go down in history — and Pokémon Legends: Arceus — a revolution in its genre and the fastest-selling Pokémon Game.

Conclusion

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is ultimately important because of a whirlwind of events, each putting pieces in place and waiting for someone to pick it up. Pokémon Legends: Arceus represents to fans for Nintendo & Pokémon that these companies are not only listening but actively implementing what the fans have wanted for years. This game renews faith in The Pokémon Company. It ensures everyone, fan and non-fan alike, keeps their eyes firmly on what Nintendo & The Pokémon Company has yet to do.

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#pokemon #legends #arceus #pokemon legends arceus #nintendo #gamefreak #zelda #botw #breath of the wild #video games #reviews #just thinkin

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